lowest
lowest — adjective
1. having the smallest distance from the bottom to the top of any compared thing; u
having the smallest distance from the bottom to the top of any compared thing; used when talking about buildings, furniture, or other objects to say which one measures least from bottom to top.
Yuki hung the mirror on the lowest hook she could reach.
lowest + noun (position/height)
Of all the bookshelves in the store, Diego picked the lowest one for his toddler.
The lowest branch of the old oak tree was just three feet above the ground.
Sofia asked the movers to place the heaviest box on the lowest shelf.
Kwame measured each cabinet and found the lowest one was too short for his plates.
用法筆記
Often used with a noun naming a physical object or position (shelf, branch, floor, hook).
常見錯誤
2. positioned or situated at the smallest distance above the ground, floor, or bott
positioned or situated at the smallest distance above the ground, floor, or bottom of a space; used to describe which thing is nearest to the surface beneath it.
Hassan found his cat curled up on the lowest step of the staircase.
lowest + noun for position near ground
Mei-Lin set the air conditioner to blow from the lowest vent in the wall.
The lowest drawer in the kitchen cabinet sticks when it is humid.
Fatima parked on the lowest level of the garage, right next to the exit ramp.
- bottommost
more formal; less common in everyday speech
用法筆記
Distinguish from SHORTEST HEIGHT: this sense focuses on the position relative to the ground, not the object's own height. A tall vase on a low table is in a low position but is not a short vase.
3. smaller in number, quantity, degree, or price than any other compared item; used
smaller in number, quantity, degree, or price than any other compared item; used for temperatures, costs, levels, rates, or scores.
The temperature dropped to its lowest point of the winter at minus eight degrees.
lowest point of [time period]
Amina found the lowest price for the laptop by comparing three different stores.
the lowest price / cost / rate
Hiroshi scored lowest in the class on the maths quiz and asked for help.
During the drought, the river reached its lowest level in fifty years.
Lin set the oven to the lowest possible heat so the bread would bake slowly.
用法筆記
Common in expressions about measurements, statistics, and economics. Often followed by 'possible' or 'ever' for emphasis.
常見錯誤
4. producing the smallest amount of sound, heat, or light compared to other things
producing the smallest amount of sound, heat, or light compared to other things of the same type; used for volume, brightness, or power settings.
Oleg set the television to the lowest volume so he would not wake the baby.
lowest volume / brightness / heat setting
Siti chose the lowest heat setting on the stove to simmer the soup slowly.
The night-light gave off the lowest glow in the corner of the bedroom.
Kenji turned the car headlights to their lowest beam when another car approached.
5. of the poorest standard or the least acceptable level of quality; used about mat
of the poorest standard or the least acceptable level of quality; used about materials, work, products, or performance that fall short of what is expected.
The restaurant received the lowest rating from the city health inspector.
the lowest rating / grade / standard
Elena returned the dress because the stitching was of the lowest quality she had seen.
Bo complained that the hotel offered the lowest standard of service on the whole trip.
The contractor used the lowest grade of wood, and the fence rotted within a year.
Chidi refused to buy the cheapest model because it was made from the lowest quality materials.
用法筆記
Often carries a negative judgement. Use with caution in polite conversation — 'below average' or 'not the best' may sound less harsh.
常見錯誤
6. at the bottom of a hierarchy or scale of importance; used about jobs, social sta
at the bottom of a hierarchy or scale of importance; used about jobs, social status, or positions in an organisation.
Interns are at the lowest rank in the company and usually handle basic office tasks.
the lowest rank / position / level [in hierarchy]
Nkechi started at the lowest pay grade and worked her way up over fifteen years.
In many traditional societies, servants occupied the lowest social class.
Javier took the lowest job on the team to get a foot in the door.
The lowest priority tasks were left until the end of the week.
用法筆記
Can describe both objective rank ('lowest pay grade') and subjective importance ('lowest priority').
7. the most dishonest, unfair, or morally unacceptable compared to other actions or
the most dishonest, unfair, or morally unacceptable compared to other actions or behaviour; used to condemn a person's conduct as cruel or contemptible.
Spreading false rumours about a colleague is the lowest thing a person can do.
the lowest thing + [clause] — moral condemnation
Deepa thought it was the lowest trick to cheat an elderly person out of savings.
The politician sank to the lowest level of dishonesty by lying about his medical records.
Leif called the prank the lowest joke he had heard and walked away in disgust.
用法筆記
Strongly negative. Used mainly in emotional or judgemental statements. 'That's low' is a common informal criticism; 'that's the lowest' intensifies it.
常見錯誤
8. having the deepest or gravest sound in a range of notes; used about voices, musi
having the deepest or gravest sound in a range of notes; used about voices, musical instruments, and other sounds in terms of pitch or frequency.
Taro played the lowest note on the cello, and the room vibrated with sound.
the lowest note / tone / pitch — musical context
Ingrid has the lowest voice in the choir and sings the bass part.
The lowest key on the piano produced a deep rumble that shook the floorboards.
Bjorn tuned his guitar so the lowest string could reach a note below the usual range.
9. feeling the most sadness, discouragement, or lack of energy; used to describe a
feeling the most sadness, discouragement, or lack of energy; used to describe a person's emotional or mental state at its most depressed point.
After his grandmother passed away, Dmitri felt at his lowest for several months.
at [possessive] lowest — describing emotional low point
Aisha was at her lowest after losing her job and apartment in the same week.
The team felt lowest after losing the championship game by a single point.
Wei saw his friend was at his lowest and offered to take him for coffee.
- most depressed
clinical term; stronger and more formal
- most discouraged
focuses on loss of hope rather than sadness
- happiest
the most joyful emotional state
- most cheerful
the most positive and lively mood
用法筆記
Almost always appears in possessive structures: 'at my/his/her/their lowest'. Not used before a noun (❌ 'a lowest person').
常見錯誤
10. in basketball, at the position on the court that is closest to the basket; used
in basketball, at the position on the court that is closest to the basket; used to describe where a player stands or where a play happens in the area near the hoop.
The centre player set up in the lowest post position, right under the basket.
lowest post — basketball positioning term
Coach Rivera told the forwards to fight for the lowest post position.
Jae-won drove from the three-point line to the lowest spot near the hoop and scored.
Amara passed to the player in the low post, who was open for a shot.
- low post
the standard basketball term for this area of the court
用法筆記
This is a specialised basketball term. Outside of sports contexts, use the HEIGHT, POSITION, or AMOUNT senses instead.
lowest — adverb
1. at the shortest distance above the ground or floor; in the position that is near
at the shortest distance above the ground or floor; in the position that is nearest to the surface beneath.
The eagle flew lowest of all the birds, skimming just above the treetops.
flew [superlative] — verb + lowest
Among the paintings on the wall, the landscape hung lowest, just above the sofa.
The cat crouched lowest to the ground before it jumped at the mouse.
Nadia hung the string of lights lowest so the children could see them.
- nearest the ground
periphrastic equivalent; less common in everyday speech
- highest
at the greatest distance above the ground
用法筆記
Modifies verbs of position or movement (fly, hang, crouch, sit, stand). Often used with 'of all' or 'among' to specify the group being compared.
2. to the smallest degree, number, or amount; at the bottom of a measurable scale.
to the smallest degree, number, or amount; at the bottom of a measurable scale.
The river's water level dropped lowest during the summer drought.
verb + lowest — adverbial of degree
Of all the candidates, Chen scored lowest on the written exam.
Stocks in the technology sector fell lowest at the start of the recession.
The auction house sold the old furniture lowest, at just fifty dollars per piece.
- least
used before adjectives and with uncountable nouns; 'least expensive'
- highest
to the greatest degree or level
用法筆記
Used with verbs of measurement, pricing, scoring, or declining. Similar to 'at the minimum' but more natural in everyday English.
3. having almost nothing left of a supply or resource; at the point where the remai
having almost nothing left of a supply or resource; at the point where the remaining amount is at its smallest.
The food supplies in the refugee camp ran lowest just before the aid convoy arrived.
ran lowest — verb + superlative for depletion
The hospital's blood bank was at its lowest after the emergency surgeries.
Rosa checked the gauge and saw the tank was at its lowest since the trip began.
The bakery ran lowest on flour during the holiday season and had to limit bread sales.
- most depleted
more formal; implies the supply has been used up
- most plentiful
the point where supply is most abundant
文法句型
run + lowest
be + at [possessive] + lowest
用法筆記
Almost always used with 'run low' / 'run lowest' or 'be at its lowest'. The possessive 'its' or 'their' is common. Not used before nouns.
常見錯誤
lowest — noun
1. the worst or most difficult period in a person's life; a time of deep unhappines
the worst or most difficult period in a person's life; a time of deep unhappiness, failure, or personal struggle.
After the divorce, Zara hit her lowest and moved back in with her parents.
hit [possessive] lowest — idiom for hitting rock bottom
The lowest of his life came when both his health and his marriage fell apart.
She described that winter as the absolute lowest she had ever experienced.
The support group helped members share stories about their lowest and find hope again.
- rock bottom
an idiom meaning the lowest possible point in life
- nadir
formal or literary; the lowest point of a situation
- peak
the best or highest point in life
用法筆記
Often used in the possessive structure '[possessive] lowest' (my lowest, his lowest) or with 'hit' as a fixed expression. 'Rock bottom' is a close synonym with the same meaning.
常見錯誤
2. the smallest value, amount, or level that something can reach or has reached; th
the smallest value, amount, or level that something can reach or has reached; the bottom of a measured scale or range.
The stock market index fell to a five-year low yesterday afternoon.
a [time-period] + lowest — recorded minimum
Temperatures in January reached their lowest in over a century.
The river's water level set a new low during the driest season on record.
Amara checked the thermometer and noted that the overnight low was minus three.
Unemployment hit its lowest in a decade, which the mayor celebrated as a big success.
用法筆記
Often preceded by a possessive (its, a five-year) or 'the'. Common in news and financial reporting. For personal emotional lows, use sense 1.