Low a. [Compar. Lower superl. Lowest.]
 1. Occupying an inferior position or place; not high or elevated; depressed in comparison with something else; as, low ground; a low flight.
 2. Not rising to the usual height; as, a man of low stature; a low fence.
 3. Near the horizon; as, the sun is low at four o'clock in winter, and six in summer.
 4. Sunk to the farthest ebb of the tide; as, low tide.
 5. Beneath the usual or remunerative rate or amount, or the ordinary value; moderate; cheap; as, the low price of corn; low wages.
 6. Not loud; as, a low voice; a low sound.
 7. Mus. Depressed in the scale of sounds; grave; as, a low pitch; a low note.
 8. Phon. Made, as a vowel, with a low position of part of the tongue in relation to the palate; as, ă (ăm), ạ̣ (ạ̣ll). See Guide to Pronunciation, §§ 5, 10, 11.
 9. Near, or not very distant from, the equator; as, in the low northern latitudes.
 10. Numerically small; as, a low number.
 11. Wanting strength or animation; depressed; dejected; as, low spirits; low in spirits.
 12. Depressed in condition; humble in rank; as, men of low condition; the lower classes.
    Why but to keep ye low and ignorant ?   --Milton.
 13. Mean; vulgar; base; dishonorable; as, a person of low mind; a low trick or stratagem.
 14. Not elevated or sublime; not exalted in thought or diction; as, a low comparison.
    In comparison of these divine writers, the noblest wits of the heathen world are low and dull.   --Felton.
 15. Submissive; humble. “Low reverence.”
 16. Deficient in vital energy; feeble; weak; as, a low pulse; made low by sickness.
 17. Moderate; not intense; not inflammatory; as, low heat; a low temperature; a low fever.
 18. Smaller than is reasonable or probable; as, a low estimate.
 19. Not rich, high seasoned, or nourishing; plain; simple; as, a low diet.
 Note: ☞ Low is often used in the formation of compounds which require no special explanation; as, low-arched, low-browed, low-crowned, low-heeled, low-lying, low-priced, low-roofed, low-toned, low-voiced, and the like.
 Low Church. See High Church, under High.
 Low Countries, the Netherlands.
 Low German, Low Latin, etc. See under German, Latin, etc.
 Low life, humble life.
 Low milling, a process of making flour from grain by a single grinding and by siftings.
 Low relief. See Bas-relief.
 Low side window Arch., a peculiar form of window common in mediæval churches, and of uncertain use. Windows of this sort are narrow, near the ground, and out of the line of the windows, and in many different situations in the building.
 Low spirits, despondency.
 Low steam, steam having a low pressure.
 Low steel, steel which contains only a small proportion of carbon, and can not be hardened greatly by sudden cooling.
 Low Sunday, the Sunday next after Easter; -- popularly so called.
 Low tide, the farthest ebb of the tide; the tide at its lowest point; low water.
 Low water. (a) The lowest point of the ebb tide; a low stage of the in a river, lake, etc.  (b) Steam Boiler The condition of an insufficient quantity of water in the boiler.
 Low water alarm or Low water indicator Steam Boiler, a contrivance of various forms attached to a boiler for giving warning when the water is low.
 Low water mark, that part of the shore to which the waters recede when the tide is the lowest. --Bouvier.
 Low wine, a liquor containing about 20 percent of alcohol, produced by the first distillation of wash; the first run of the still; -- often in the plural.
 Re·lief n.
 1. The act of relieving, or the state of being relieved; the removal, or partial removal, of any evil, or of anything oppressive or burdensome, by which some ease is obtained; succor; alleviation; comfort; ease; redress.
 He sees the dire contagion spread so fast,
 That, where it seizes, all relief is vain.   --Dryden.
 2. Release from a post, or from the performance of duty, by the intervention of others, by discharge, or by relay; as, a relief of a sentry.
    For this relief much thanks; 'tis bitter cold.   --Shak.
 3. That which removes or lessens evil, pain, discomfort, uneasiness, etc.; that which gives succor, aid, or comfort; also, the person who relieves from performance of duty by taking the place of another; a relay.
 4. Feudal Law A fine or composition which the heir of a deceased tenant paid to the lord for the privilege of taking up the estate, which, on strict feudal principles, had lapsed or fallen to the lord on the death of the tenant.
 5. Sculp. & Arch. The projection of a figure above the ground or plane on which it is formed.
 Note: ☞ Relief is of three kinds, namely, high relief (altorilievo), low relief, (basso-rilievo), and demirelief (mezzo-rilievo). See these terms in the Vocabulary.
 6. Paint. The appearance of projection given by shading, shadow, etc., to any figure.
 7. Fort. The height to which works are raised above the bottom of the ditch.
 8. Physical Geog. The elevations and surface undulations of a country.
 Relief valve, a valve arranged for relieving pressure of steam, gas, or liquid; an escape valve.
 Syn: -- Alleviation; mitigation; aid; help; succor; assistance; remedy; redress; indemnification.
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 low relief
      n : a sculptural relief in which forms extend only slightly from
          the background; no figures are undercut [syn: bas relief,
           basso relievo, basso rilievo] [ant: alto relievo]