lowBrE /ləʊ/ NAmE /loʊ/► SEE ALLbe/run low (on sth)(at) a low ebbhigh and lowlay sb lowlie lowadopt, keep, etc. a high/low profileset your sights high/lowsink so lowsink to sthbe in high/low spiritsstoop so low (as to do sth) ●be/run ˈlow (on sth)not have much of sth left剩下不多；不够；不足◆We’re running low on fuel. Do you think we’ll have enough to get home? 我们的汽油不多了。你认为我们剩下的油够开到家吗？●(at) a low ˈebbnot as good, strong, successful, etc. as usual处于低潮；状况不佳；衰落◆Business confidence is at a low ebb at the moment. 目前人们对商业信心不足。◆Our family fortunes are at a bit of a low ebb. 我们家现在有点不走运。OPP(on) the crest of a waveNOTE This idiom refers to a very low tide, when the sea is a long way from the land.这个习语原指低潮，低潮时海水远离陆地。●ˌhigh and ˈlow(search, etc. for sth) in every possible place; everywhere上上下下，到处（寻找）◆I’ve been hunting high and low for that pen, where did you find it?我到处都找遍了也没找到那支笔，你是在哪儿找到的？●lay sb ˈlow (informal) (of an illness疾病) cause sb to go to bed or be unable to work normally使卧床；使无法正常工作◆That flu laid her low for a couple of weeks.那场流感使她病倒了几个星期。●lie ˈlow (informal) hide or keep quiet for a short time（暂时）隐匿，不露面◆The thieves lay low for a few days in a farmhouse, then tried to leave the country with the money.那些盗贼在一个农舍里躲了几天，然后试图携款离境。●adopt, keep, etc. a ˌhigh/ˌlow ˈprofiletry/try not to attract other people’s interest, attention, etc.尽量惹人／不惹人注目；保持高／低姿态◆If I were you, I’d try and keep a low profile until she’s forgotten about the whole thing.如果我是你的话，我会保持低调，直到她忘记整件事。◆In the run-up to the elections all three candidates maintained a high profile.在大选前的竞选期间三位候选人都保持着高姿态。●set your sights ˈhigh/ˈlowbe ambitious/not ambitious; expect a lot/little from your life有／无雄心大志；人生目标高／低◆If you set your sights high, you could do anything.如果你志向高远，一切皆有可能。●ˌsink so ˈlow●sink to sthhave such low moral standards that you do sth very bad堕落到如此地步；沉沦到某种程度◆Stealing from your friends? How could you sink so low?居然偷到自己的朋友头上了？你怎么能堕落到这种地步？◆I can’t believe that anyone would sink to such depths.我无法相信居然会有人堕落到这种程度。●be in high/low ˈspirits ( in good/poor ˈspirits) be happy and cheerful/sad and miserable情绪高涨／低落◆John was in rather low spirits all evening.约翰一晚上都闷闷不乐。▸ˌhigh-ˈspirited, ˌlow-ˈspirited
adjective
◆high-spirited children兴高采烈的孩子们●stoop so ˈlow (as to do sth) (written) lower your moral standards far enough to do sth bad or unpleasant卑鄙（或堕落）到…地步◆I hope none of my friends would stoop so low as to steal.我希望我的朋友没有一个会堕落到偷东西的地步。◆She suggested placing an ad in a magazine for a boyfriend, but I’d never stoop so low.她建议在杂志上登广告征男友，可是我决不会掉价到这个地步。
