English words for 'less than adequate'
Closest matches for "less than adequate" are ranked by semantic fit across dictionary definitions.
Search results
det
adj
adj
- Insufficient or inadequate in amount.
- inadequate in amount or degree
- (mathematics) Of a number n, Having the sum of divisors σ(n)<2n, or, equivalently, the sum of proper divisors (or aliquot sum) s(n)<n.
- Lacking something essential; often construed with in.
- falling short of some prescribed norm
- of a quantity not able to fulfill a need or requirement
noun
adj
- just barely adequate or within a lower limit
- Minimal; that is or are just sufficient.
- not having a protective covering
- lacking embellishment or ornamentation
- having everything extraneous removed including contents
- providing no shelter or sustenance
- lacking its natural or customary covering
- apart from anything else; without additions or modifications
- having no clothes on the body
- lacking a surface finish such as paint
- lacking in magnitude or quantity
- (MLE, MTE, Yorkshire, slang, not comparable) A lot or lots of.
- Having no supplies.
- Threadbare, very worn.
- Without anything to cover up or conceal one's thoughts or actions; open to view; exposed.
- Having no decoration.
- Naked, uncovered.
- Having had what usually covers (something) removed.
- Not insured.
- With head uncovered; bareheaded.
- (figuratively) Mere; without embellishment.
verb
adv
noun
adj
- just barely adequate or within a lower limit
- producing at a rate that barely covers production costs
- at or constituting a border or edge
- of questionable or minimal quality
- (economics, not comparable) Pertaining to changes resulting from a unit increase in production or consumption of a good.
- (of land) Barely productive.
- Of a value, or having a characteristic that is of a value, that is close to being unacceptable or leading to exclusion from a group or category.
- (not comparable) Of, relating to, or located at or near a margin or edge; also figurative usages of location and margin (edge).
- (sociology) Marginalized.
- (geography) Sharing a border; geographically adjacent.
- (politics, chiefly UK, Australia, New Zealand, of a constituency) Subject to a change in sitting member with only a small change in voting behaviour, this usually being inferred from the small winning margin of the previous election.
- Written in the margin of a book.
noun
adj
adj
- Inadequate, insufficient.
- of insufficient quantity to meet a need
- Deficient in a specified way.
- With no or few possessions or money, particularly in relation to contemporaries who do have them.
- Of low quality.
- Free from self-assertion; not proud or arrogant; meek.
- (attributive only) Worthy of pity.
- having little money or few possessions
- lacking in quality or substances
- deserving or inciting pity
- characterized by or indicating poverty
noun
verb
adj
- Limited in quantity; inadequate; insufficient; scanty.
- Deficient; less; not coming up to a measure or standard.
- of insufficient quantity to meet a need
- (golf) Of an approach shot or putt, that falls short of the green or the hole.
- Having little duration.
- (cricket) Of a ball, bowled so that it bounces relatively far from the batsman.
- (colloquial) Undiluted; neat.
- (finance) Being in a financial investment position that is structured to be profitable if the price of the underlying security declines in the future.
- Having a small distance from one end or edge to another, either horizontally or vertically.
- Insufficiently provided; inadequately supplied, especially with money; scantily furnished; lacking.
- (baking) Of pastries or (metallurgy) of materials, brittle, crumbly.
- (gambling) Of betting odds, offering a small return for the money wagered.
- Abrupt, brief, pointed, curt.
- Of a person, living being, or object, having a comparatively small height.
- (followed by for) Of a word or phrase, constituting an abbreviation (for another) or shortened form (of another).
- (by extension) Doubtful of, skeptical of.
- (cricket) Of a fielder or fielding position, that is relatively close to the batsman.
- marked by rude or peremptory shortness
- not holding securities or commodities that one sells in expectation of a fall in prices
- primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
- of speech sounds or syllables of relatively short duration
- less than the correct or legal or full amount often deliberately so
- tending to crumble or break into flakes due to a large amount of shortening
- (primarily spatial sense) having little length or lacking in length
- lacking foresight or scope
- (of memory) deficient in retentiveness or range
- low in stature; not tall; describing something or someone with a stature less than normal
adv
- Without achieving a goal or requirement.
- Abruptly, curtly, briefly.
- (finance) With a negative ownership position.
- (cricket, of the manner of bounce of a cricket ball) Relatively far from the batsman and hence bouncing higher than normal; opposite of full.
- Unawares.
- so as to interrupt
- at some point or distance before a goal is reached
- quickly and without warning; happening unexpectedly; on impulse; without premeditation
- at a disadvantage
- in a curt, abrupt and discourteous manner
- without possessing something at the time it is contractually sold
- clean across
noun
- (Internet) A short-form vertical video.
- (finance) A short seller.
- A short film.
- A summary account.
- (US, slang) An automobile.
- (finance) A short sale or short position.
- (baseball) A shortstop.
- A short version of a garment in a particular size.
- (phonetics) A short phone (such as a vowel) or syllable.
- A short circuit.
- (programming) An integer variable having a smaller range than normal integers; usually two bytes long.
- the fielding position of the player on a baseball team who is stationed between second and third base
- the location on a baseball field where the shortstop is stationed
- accidental contact between two points in an electric circuit that have a potential difference
prep
verb
- (transitive) To cause a short circuit in (something).
- (intransitive, of an electrical circuit) To short circuit.
- (transitive, business) To sell something, especially securities, that one does not own at the moment for delivery at a later date in hopes of profiting from a decline in the price; to sell short.
- (transitive, informal) To provide with an amount smaller than that agreed or labeled; to shortchange.
- create a short circuit in
- cheat someone by not returning them enough money
adj
det
noun
verb
noun
verb
adj
adj
- adequate, but not outstanding or exceptional
- properly or sufficiently qualified or capable or efficient
- legally qualified or sufficient
- Having sufficient skill, knowledge, ability, or qualifications.
- (law) Having jurisdiction or authority over a particular issue or question.
- Adequate for the purpose.
- (geology) Resistant to deformation or flow.
- (biology, medicine, of an organ, tissue, or system) Functionally in order; functioning adequately.
- (biology, of a cell wall) Permeable to foreign DNA.
prep
- Less than.
- Within the category, classification or heading of.
- Using or adopting (a name, identity, etc.).
- Beneath; below; at or to the bottom of, or the area covered or surmounted by.
- (figuratively) In the face of; in response to (some attacking force).
- Subordinate to; subject to the control of; in accordance with; in compliance with.
- Below the surface of.
- Subject to.
- From one side of to the other, passing beneath.
adv
- (usually in compounds) Less than what is necessary to be adequate or suitable; insufficient.
- Down to defeat, ruin, or death.
- In or to a lower or subordinate position, or a position beneath or below something, physically or figuratively.
- (informal) In or into an unconscious state.
- So as to pass beneath something.
- below the horizon
- below some quantity or limit
- further down
- down to defeat, death, or ruin
- down below
- in or into a state of subordination or subjugation
- through a range downward
- into unconsciousness
adj
- Lower; beneath something.
- In a state of subordination, submission or defeat.
- (informal) Having a particular property that is low, especially so as to be insufficient or lacking in a particular respect.
- (medicine, colloquial) Under anesthesia, especially general anesthesia; sedated.
- located below or beneath something else
- lower in rank, power, or authority
noun
adj
- Mediocre
- Not violent or rigorous; temperate; mild; gentle.
- (pathology) more than mild, less than severe
- Average priced; standard-deal
- (US, politics) Having an intermediate position between liberal and conservative.
- Not excessive; acting in moderation
- being within reasonable or average limits; not excessive or extreme
- marked by avoidance of extravagance or extremes
- not extreme
noun
- (Christianity, historical) One of a party in Scottish Church history dominant in the 18th century, lax in doctrine and discipline, but intolerant of evangelicalism and popular rights. It caused the secessions of 1733 and 1761, and its final resultant was the Disruption of 1843.
- One who holds an intermediate position between extremes, as in politics.
- a person who takes a position in the political center
verb
- (intransitive) To become less excessive.
- (transitive) To preside over (something) as a moderator.
- (transitive, physics) To supply with a moderator (substance that decreases the speed of neutrons in a nuclear reactor and hence increases likelihood of fission).
- (transitive) To reduce the excessiveness of (something).
- (intransitive) To act as a moderator; to assist in bringing to compromise.
- make less fast or intense
- make more temperate, acceptable, or suitable by adding something else
- preside over
- make less strong or intense; soften
- lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits
- make less severe or harsh
adv
prep_phrase
adj
- no longer sufficient
- subdued or brought low in condition or status
- unrefined in character
- less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
- of the most contemptible kind
- filled with melancholy and despondency
- low or inferior in station or quality
- being at or having a relatively small elevation or upward extension
- very low in volume
- used of sounds and voices; low in pitch or frequency
- (in several set phrases) Being near the equator.
- Depressed in mood, dejected, sad.
- Low-cut.
- (baseball, of a ball) Below the batter's knees.
- Disparaging; assigning little value or excellence.
- Dead. (Compare lay low.)
- (of an automobile, gear, etc) Designed for a slow (or the slowest) speed.
- Being a nadir, a bottom.
- (acoustics) Grave in pitch, due to being produced by relatively slow vibrations (wave oscillations); flat.
- Humble, meek, not haughty.
- Lacking health or vitality, strength or vivacity; feeble; weak.
- Of less than normal height or upward extent or growth, or of greater than normal depth or recession; below the average or normal level from which elevation is measured.
- (card games) Lesser in value than other cards, denominations, suits, etc.
- Not high in status, esteem, or rank, dignity, or quality. (Compare vulgar.)
- (video games, roleplaying games) Having few hit points remaining; damaged.
- Pertaining to (or, especially of a language: spoken in) in an area which is at a lesser elevation, closer to sea level (especially near the sea), than other regions.
- Quiet; soft; not loud.
- Small, not high (in amount or quantity, value, force, energy, etc).
- Depleted, or nearing deletion; lacking in supply.
- (chiefly in several set phrases) Favoring simplicity (see e.g. low church, Low Tory).
- (phonetics) Made with a relatively large opening between the tongue and the palate; made with (part of) the tongue positioned low in the mouth, relative to the palate.
- Situated close to, or even below, the ground or another normal reference plane; not high or lofty.
- Having a small or comparatively smaller concentration of (a substance, which is often but not always linked by "in" when predicative).
- (especially in biology) Simple in complexity or development.
noun
- the lowest forward gear ratio in the gear box of a motor vehicle; used to start a car moving
- a low level or position or degree
- an air mass of lower pressure; often brings precipitation
- The lowest-speed gearing of a power-transmission system, especially of an automotive vehicle.
- A period of depression; a depressed mood or situation.
- The minimum atmospheric temperature recorded at a particular location, especially during one 24-hour period.
- (meteorology, informal) An area of low pressure; a depression.
- A low point or position, literally (as, a depth) or figuratively (as, a nadir, a time when things are at their worst, least, minimum, etc).
- (slang, usually accompanied by "the") A cheap, cost-efficient, or advantageous price.
- (countable, UK, Scotland, dialect) A flame; fire; blaze.
- (card games) The lowest trump, usually the deuce; the lowest trump dealt or drawn.
adv
- in a low position; near the ground
- Close to the ground.
- Of a pitch, at a lower frequency.
- (astronomy) In a path near the equator, so that the declination is small, or near the horizon, so that the altitude is small; said of the heavenly bodies with reference to the diurnal revolution.
- With a low voice or sound; not loudly; gently.
- In a low mean condition; humbly; meanly.
- In a time approaching our own.
- Under the usual price; at a moderate price; cheaply.
verb
adj
noun
- A small, upright beam of timber used in construction, especially less than five inches square.
- (uncountable) Timber in the form of small beams and pieces.
- (chiefly in the plural) The set size or dimension of a piece of timber, stone etc., or materials used to build ships or aircraft.
- an upright in house framing
phrase
adj
- Slight; minimal.
- (of a being) Lacking strength; weak; languid; inclined to lose consciousness
- Lacking courage, spirit, or energy; cowardly; dejected.
- Performed, done, or acted, weakly; not exhibiting vigor, strength, or energy.
- Barely perceptible; not bright, or loud, or sharp.
- lacking strength or vigor
- weak and likely to lose consciousness
- lacking clarity or distinctness
- lacking conviction or boldness or courage
- indistinctly understood or felt or perceived
- deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
noun
verb
- (intransitive) To lose courage or spirit; to become depressed or despondent.
- (intransitive) To lose consciousness through a lack of oxygen or nutrients to the brain, usually as a result of suddenly reduced blood flow (may be caused by emotional trauma, loss of blood or various medical conditions).
- (intransitive) To decay; to disappear; to vanish.
- pass out from weakness, physical or emotional distress due to a loss of blood supply to the brain
adj
adj
- Scant; not abundant or plentiful.
- Lean; lacking flesh; meager; thin; gaunt.
- Austere, stripped down, without what is extraneous.
- Not occupied or in current use.
- Being more than what is necessary, or what must be used or reserved; not wanted, or not used; superfluous.
- (UK, informal) Very angry; frustrated or distraught.
- Sparing; frugal; parsimonious; not spending much money.
- Held in reserve, to be used in an emergency.
- lacking embellishment or ornamentation
- thin and fit
- not taken up by scheduled activities
- kept in reserve especially for emergency use
- more than is needed, desired, or required
- lacking in magnitude or quantity
noun
- The act of sparing; moderation; restraint.
- An opening in a petticoat or gown; a placket.
- Parsimony; frugal use.
- (bowling) The right of bowling again at a full set of pins, after having knocked all the pins down in less than three bowls. If all the pins are knocked down in one bowl it is a double spare; in two bowls, a single spare.
- A spare part, especially a spare tire.
- (bowling) The act of knocking down all remaining pins in second ball of a frame; this entitles the pins knocked down on the next ball to be added to the score for that frame.
- A superfluous or second-best person.
- (Canada) A free period; a block of school during which one does not have a class.
- That which has not been used or expended.
- (Myanmar) assistant or extra hand (typically on buses and lorries)
- an extra component of a machine or other apparatus
- a score in tenpins; knocking down all ten after rolling two balls
- an extra car wheel and tire for a four-wheel vehicle
verb
- (specifically) To refrain from killing (someone) or having (someone) killed.
- (transitive) To keep to oneself; to forbear to impart or give.
- (intransitive) To be frugal; to not be profuse; to live frugally; to be parsimonious.
- (intransitive) To refrain from inflicting harm; to use mercy or forbearance.
- (transitive) (to give up): To deprive oneself of, as by being frugal; to do without; to dispense with; to give up; to part with.
- (transitive) To save or gain, as by frugality; to reserve, as from some occupation, use, or duty.
- (intransitive) To desist; to stop; to refrain.
- (transitive) To preserve (someone) from danger or punishment; to forbear to punish, injure, or harm (someone); to show mercy towards.
- give up what is not strictly needed
- use frugally or carefully
- refrain from harming
- save or relieve from an experience or action
adj
adj
- Having little extra or little to spare; scanty; meagre.
- (business) Efficient, economic, frugal, agile, slimmed-down; pertaining to the modern industrial principles of "lean manufacturing".
- (of meat) Having little fat.
- Having a low proportion or concentration of a desired substance or ingredient.
- (of a person or animal) Slim; not fleshy.
- containing little excess
- not profitable or prosperous
- lacking in mineral content or combustible material
- lacking excess flesh
noun
- (uncountable) Meat with no fat on it.
- (US slang) A recreational drug composed of codeine-promethazine cough syrup mixed with usually soda and associated with the hip-hop culture of the Southern United States.
- (countable, biology) An organism that is lean in stature.
- (of an object taller than its width and depth) An inclination away from the vertical.
- the property possessed by a line or surface that departs from the vertical
verb
- (copulative) To incline in opinion or desire; to conform in conduct; often with to, toward, etc.
- To hang outwards.
- To thin out (a fuel-air mixture): to reduce the fuel flow into the mixture so that there is more air or oxygen.
- (Followed by against, on, or upon) To rest or rely, for support, comfort, to use as a hard surface for writing, etc.
- (intransitive) To incline, deviate, or bend, from a vertical position; to be in a position thus inclining or deviating.
- To press against.
- cause to lean to the side
- have a tendency or disposition to do or be something; be inclined
- rely on for support
- cause to lean or incline
- to incline or bend from a vertical position
noun
verb
adv
prep_phrase
prep
- Less than.
- Within the category, classification or heading of.
- Using or adopting (a name, identity, etc.).
- Beneath; below; at or to the bottom of, or the area covered or surmounted by.
- (figuratively) In the face of; in response to (some attacking force).
- Subordinate to; subject to the control of; in accordance with; in compliance with.
- Below the surface of.
- Subject to.
- From one side of to the other, passing beneath.
adv
- (usually in compounds) Less than what is necessary to be adequate or suitable; insufficient.
- Down to defeat, ruin, or death.
- In or to a lower or subordinate position, or a position beneath or below something, physically or figuratively.
- (informal) In or into an unconscious state.
- So as to pass beneath something.
- below the horizon
- below some quantity or limit
- further down
- down to defeat, death, or ruin
- down below
- in or into a state of subordination or subjugation
- through a range downward
- into unconsciousness
adj
- Lower; beneath something.
- In a state of subordination, submission or defeat.
- (informal) Having a particular property that is low, especially so as to be insufficient or lacking in a particular respect.
- (medicine, colloquial) Under anesthesia, especially general anesthesia; sedated.
- located below or beneath something else
- lower in rank, power, or authority
noun
adj
- Insufficient or inadequate in amount.
- inadequate in amount or degree
- (mathematics) Of a number n, Having the sum of divisors σ(n)<2n, or, equivalently, the sum of proper divisors (or aliquot sum) s(n)<n.
- Lacking something essential; often construed with in.
- falling short of some prescribed norm
- of a quantity not able to fulfill a need or requirement
noun
adj
- just barely adequate or within a lower limit
- Minimal; that is or are just sufficient.
- not having a protective covering
- lacking embellishment or ornamentation
- having everything extraneous removed including contents
- providing no shelter or sustenance
- lacking its natural or customary covering
- apart from anything else; without additions or modifications
- having no clothes on the body
- lacking a surface finish such as paint
- lacking in magnitude or quantity
- (MLE, MTE, Yorkshire, slang, not comparable) A lot or lots of.
- Having no supplies.
- Threadbare, very worn.
- Without anything to cover up or conceal one's thoughts or actions; open to view; exposed.
- Having no decoration.
- Naked, uncovered.
- Having had what usually covers (something) removed.
- Not insured.
- With head uncovered; bareheaded.
- (figuratively) Mere; without embellishment.
verb
adv
noun
adj
- just barely adequate or within a lower limit
- producing at a rate that barely covers production costs
- at or constituting a border or edge
- of questionable or minimal quality
- (economics, not comparable) Pertaining to changes resulting from a unit increase in production or consumption of a good.
- (of land) Barely productive.
- Of a value, or having a characteristic that is of a value, that is close to being unacceptable or leading to exclusion from a group or category.
- (not comparable) Of, relating to, or located at or near a margin or edge; also figurative usages of location and margin (edge).
- (sociology) Marginalized.
- (geography) Sharing a border; geographically adjacent.
- (politics, chiefly UK, Australia, New Zealand, of a constituency) Subject to a change in sitting member with only a small change in voting behaviour, this usually being inferred from the small winning margin of the previous election.
- Written in the margin of a book.
noun
adj
adj
- Inadequate, insufficient.
- of insufficient quantity to meet a need
- Deficient in a specified way.
- With no or few possessions or money, particularly in relation to contemporaries who do have them.
- Of low quality.
- Free from self-assertion; not proud or arrogant; meek.
- (attributive only) Worthy of pity.
- having little money or few possessions
- lacking in quality or substances
- deserving or inciting pity
- characterized by or indicating poverty
noun
verb
adj
- Limited in quantity; inadequate; insufficient; scanty.
- Deficient; less; not coming up to a measure or standard.
- of insufficient quantity to meet a need
- (golf) Of an approach shot or putt, that falls short of the green or the hole.
- Having little duration.
- (cricket) Of a ball, bowled so that it bounces relatively far from the batsman.
- (colloquial) Undiluted; neat.
- (finance) Being in a financial investment position that is structured to be profitable if the price of the underlying security declines in the future.
- Having a small distance from one end or edge to another, either horizontally or vertically.
- Insufficiently provided; inadequately supplied, especially with money; scantily furnished; lacking.
- (baking) Of pastries or (metallurgy) of materials, brittle, crumbly.
- (gambling) Of betting odds, offering a small return for the money wagered.
- Abrupt, brief, pointed, curt.
- Of a person, living being, or object, having a comparatively small height.
- (followed by for) Of a word or phrase, constituting an abbreviation (for another) or shortened form (of another).
- (by extension) Doubtful of, skeptical of.
- (cricket) Of a fielder or fielding position, that is relatively close to the batsman.
- marked by rude or peremptory shortness
- not holding securities or commodities that one sells in expectation of a fall in prices
- primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
- of speech sounds or syllables of relatively short duration
- less than the correct or legal or full amount often deliberately so
- tending to crumble or break into flakes due to a large amount of shortening
- (primarily spatial sense) having little length or lacking in length
- lacking foresight or scope
- (of memory) deficient in retentiveness or range
- low in stature; not tall; describing something or someone with a stature less than normal
adv
- Without achieving a goal or requirement.
- Abruptly, curtly, briefly.
- (finance) With a negative ownership position.
- (cricket, of the manner of bounce of a cricket ball) Relatively far from the batsman and hence bouncing higher than normal; opposite of full.
- Unawares.
- so as to interrupt
- at some point or distance before a goal is reached
- quickly and without warning; happening unexpectedly; on impulse; without premeditation
- at a disadvantage
- in a curt, abrupt and discourteous manner
- without possessing something at the time it is contractually sold
- clean across
noun
- (Internet) A short-form vertical video.
- (finance) A short seller.
- A short film.
- A summary account.
- (US, slang) An automobile.
- (finance) A short sale or short position.
- (baseball) A shortstop.
- A short version of a garment in a particular size.
- (phonetics) A short phone (such as a vowel) or syllable.
- A short circuit.
- (programming) An integer variable having a smaller range than normal integers; usually two bytes long.
- the fielding position of the player on a baseball team who is stationed between second and third base
- the location on a baseball field where the shortstop is stationed
- accidental contact between two points in an electric circuit that have a potential difference
prep
verb
- (transitive) To cause a short circuit in (something).
- (intransitive, of an electrical circuit) To short circuit.
- (transitive, business) To sell something, especially securities, that one does not own at the moment for delivery at a later date in hopes of profiting from a decline in the price; to sell short.
- (transitive, informal) To provide with an amount smaller than that agreed or labeled; to shortchange.
- create a short circuit in
- cheat someone by not returning them enough money
adj
det
noun
verb
adj
adj
- adequate, but not outstanding or exceptional
- properly or sufficiently qualified or capable or efficient
- legally qualified or sufficient
- Having sufficient skill, knowledge, ability, or qualifications.
- (law) Having jurisdiction or authority over a particular issue or question.
- Adequate for the purpose.
- (geology) Resistant to deformation or flow.
- (biology, medicine, of an organ, tissue, or system) Functionally in order; functioning adequately.
- (biology, of a cell wall) Permeable to foreign DNA.
adj
- Mediocre
- Not violent or rigorous; temperate; mild; gentle.
- (pathology) more than mild, less than severe
- Average priced; standard-deal
- (US, politics) Having an intermediate position between liberal and conservative.
- Not excessive; acting in moderation
- being within reasonable or average limits; not excessive or extreme
- marked by avoidance of extravagance or extremes
- not extreme
noun
- (Christianity, historical) One of a party in Scottish Church history dominant in the 18th century, lax in doctrine and discipline, but intolerant of evangelicalism and popular rights. It caused the secessions of 1733 and 1761, and its final resultant was the Disruption of 1843.
- One who holds an intermediate position between extremes, as in politics.
- a person who takes a position in the political center
verb
- (intransitive) To become less excessive.
- (transitive) To preside over (something) as a moderator.
- (transitive, physics) To supply with a moderator (substance that decreases the speed of neutrons in a nuclear reactor and hence increases likelihood of fission).
- (transitive) To reduce the excessiveness of (something).
- (intransitive) To act as a moderator; to assist in bringing to compromise.
- make less fast or intense
- make more temperate, acceptable, or suitable by adding something else
- preside over
- make less strong or intense; soften
- lessen the intensity of; temper; hold in restraint; hold or keep within limits
- make less severe or harsh
adj
- no longer sufficient
- subdued or brought low in condition or status
- unrefined in character
- less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
- of the most contemptible kind
- filled with melancholy and despondency
- low or inferior in station or quality
- being at or having a relatively small elevation or upward extension
- very low in volume
- used of sounds and voices; low in pitch or frequency
- (in several set phrases) Being near the equator.
- Depressed in mood, dejected, sad.
- Low-cut.
- (baseball, of a ball) Below the batter's knees.
- Disparaging; assigning little value or excellence.
- Dead. (Compare lay low.)
- (of an automobile, gear, etc) Designed for a slow (or the slowest) speed.
- Being a nadir, a bottom.
- (acoustics) Grave in pitch, due to being produced by relatively slow vibrations (wave oscillations); flat.
- Humble, meek, not haughty.
- Lacking health or vitality, strength or vivacity; feeble; weak.
- Of less than normal height or upward extent or growth, or of greater than normal depth or recession; below the average or normal level from which elevation is measured.
- (card games) Lesser in value than other cards, denominations, suits, etc.
- Not high in status, esteem, or rank, dignity, or quality. (Compare vulgar.)
- (video games, roleplaying games) Having few hit points remaining; damaged.
- Pertaining to (or, especially of a language: spoken in) in an area which is at a lesser elevation, closer to sea level (especially near the sea), than other regions.
- Quiet; soft; not loud.
- Small, not high (in amount or quantity, value, force, energy, etc).
- Depleted, or nearing deletion; lacking in supply.
- (chiefly in several set phrases) Favoring simplicity (see e.g. low church, Low Tory).
- (phonetics) Made with a relatively large opening between the tongue and the palate; made with (part of) the tongue positioned low in the mouth, relative to the palate.
- Situated close to, or even below, the ground or another normal reference plane; not high or lofty.
- Having a small or comparatively smaller concentration of (a substance, which is often but not always linked by "in" when predicative).
- (especially in biology) Simple in complexity or development.
noun
- the lowest forward gear ratio in the gear box of a motor vehicle; used to start a car moving
- a low level or position or degree
- an air mass of lower pressure; often brings precipitation
- The lowest-speed gearing of a power-transmission system, especially of an automotive vehicle.
- A period of depression; a depressed mood or situation.
- The minimum atmospheric temperature recorded at a particular location, especially during one 24-hour period.
- (meteorology, informal) An area of low pressure; a depression.
- A low point or position, literally (as, a depth) or figuratively (as, a nadir, a time when things are at their worst, least, minimum, etc).
- (slang, usually accompanied by "the") A cheap, cost-efficient, or advantageous price.
- (countable, UK, Scotland, dialect) A flame; fire; blaze.
- (card games) The lowest trump, usually the deuce; the lowest trump dealt or drawn.
adv
- in a low position; near the ground
- Close to the ground.
- Of a pitch, at a lower frequency.
- (astronomy) In a path near the equator, so that the declination is small, or near the horizon, so that the altitude is small; said of the heavenly bodies with reference to the diurnal revolution.
- With a low voice or sound; not loudly; gently.
- In a low mean condition; humbly; meanly.
- In a time approaching our own.
- Under the usual price; at a moderate price; cheaply.
verb
adj
noun
- A small, upright beam of timber used in construction, especially less than five inches square.
- (uncountable) Timber in the form of small beams and pieces.
- (chiefly in the plural) The set size or dimension of a piece of timber, stone etc., or materials used to build ships or aircraft.
- an upright in house framing
adj
- Slight; minimal.
- (of a being) Lacking strength; weak; languid; inclined to lose consciousness
- Lacking courage, spirit, or energy; cowardly; dejected.
- Performed, done, or acted, weakly; not exhibiting vigor, strength, or energy.
- Barely perceptible; not bright, or loud, or sharp.
- lacking strength or vigor
- weak and likely to lose consciousness
- lacking clarity or distinctness
- lacking conviction or boldness or courage
- indistinctly understood or felt or perceived
- deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
noun
verb
- (intransitive) To lose courage or spirit; to become depressed or despondent.
- (intransitive) To lose consciousness through a lack of oxygen or nutrients to the brain, usually as a result of suddenly reduced blood flow (may be caused by emotional trauma, loss of blood or various medical conditions).
- (intransitive) To decay; to disappear; to vanish.
- pass out from weakness, physical or emotional distress due to a loss of blood supply to the brain
adj
adj
- Scant; not abundant or plentiful.
- Lean; lacking flesh; meager; thin; gaunt.
- Austere, stripped down, without what is extraneous.
- Not occupied or in current use.
- Being more than what is necessary, or what must be used or reserved; not wanted, or not used; superfluous.
- (UK, informal) Very angry; frustrated or distraught.
- Sparing; frugal; parsimonious; not spending much money.
- Held in reserve, to be used in an emergency.
- lacking embellishment or ornamentation
- thin and fit
- not taken up by scheduled activities
- kept in reserve especially for emergency use
- more than is needed, desired, or required
- lacking in magnitude or quantity
noun
- The act of sparing; moderation; restraint.
- An opening in a petticoat or gown; a placket.
- Parsimony; frugal use.
- (bowling) The right of bowling again at a full set of pins, after having knocked all the pins down in less than three bowls. If all the pins are knocked down in one bowl it is a double spare; in two bowls, a single spare.
- A spare part, especially a spare tire.
- (bowling) The act of knocking down all remaining pins in second ball of a frame; this entitles the pins knocked down on the next ball to be added to the score for that frame.
- A superfluous or second-best person.
- (Canada) A free period; a block of school during which one does not have a class.
- That which has not been used or expended.
- (Myanmar) assistant or extra hand (typically on buses and lorries)
- an extra component of a machine or other apparatus
- a score in tenpins; knocking down all ten after rolling two balls
- an extra car wheel and tire for a four-wheel vehicle
verb
- (specifically) To refrain from killing (someone) or having (someone) killed.
- (transitive) To keep to oneself; to forbear to impart or give.
- (intransitive) To be frugal; to not be profuse; to live frugally; to be parsimonious.
- (intransitive) To refrain from inflicting harm; to use mercy or forbearance.
- (transitive) (to give up): To deprive oneself of, as by being frugal; to do without; to dispense with; to give up; to part with.
- (transitive) To save or gain, as by frugality; to reserve, as from some occupation, use, or duty.
- (intransitive) To desist; to stop; to refrain.
- (transitive) To preserve (someone) from danger or punishment; to forbear to punish, injure, or harm (someone); to show mercy towards.
- give up what is not strictly needed
- use frugally or carefully
- refrain from harming
- save or relieve from an experience or action
adj
adj
- Having little extra or little to spare; scanty; meagre.
- (business) Efficient, economic, frugal, agile, slimmed-down; pertaining to the modern industrial principles of "lean manufacturing".
- (of meat) Having little fat.
- Having a low proportion or concentration of a desired substance or ingredient.
- (of a person or animal) Slim; not fleshy.
- containing little excess
- not profitable or prosperous
- lacking in mineral content or combustible material
- lacking excess flesh
noun
- (uncountable) Meat with no fat on it.
- (US slang) A recreational drug composed of codeine-promethazine cough syrup mixed with usually soda and associated with the hip-hop culture of the Southern United States.
- (countable, biology) An organism that is lean in stature.
- (of an object taller than its width and depth) An inclination away from the vertical.
- the property possessed by a line or surface that departs from the vertical
verb
- (copulative) To incline in opinion or desire; to conform in conduct; often with to, toward, etc.
- To hang outwards.
- To thin out (a fuel-air mixture): to reduce the fuel flow into the mixture so that there is more air or oxygen.
- (Followed by against, on, or upon) To rest or rely, for support, comfort, to use as a hard surface for writing, etc.
- (intransitive) To incline, deviate, or bend, from a vertical position; to be in a position thus inclining or deviating.
- To press against.
- cause to lean to the side
- have a tendency or disposition to do or be something; be inclined
- rely on for support
- cause to lean or incline
- to incline or bend from a vertical position