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Low vs Up - What's the difference?

low | up |

As verbs the difference between low and up

is that low is (obsolete|transitive) to depress; to lower or low can be or low can be to moo or low can be (uk|scotland|dialect) to burn; to blaze while up is to upturn, to turn over.

As an adjective low

is in a position comparatively close to the ground.

As a noun low

is something that is low; a low point or low can be (countable|uk|scotland|dialect) a flame; fire; blaze or low can be , mound, tumulus.

As an adverb low

is close to the ground.

low

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) lowe, lohe, . More at lie.

Adjective

(er)
  • In a position comparatively close to the ground.
  • Small in height.
  • Situated below the normal level, or the mean elevation.
  • Depressed, sad.
  • low spirits
    I felt low at Christmas with no family to celebrate with.
  • Not high in amount or quantity.
  • Food prices are lower in a supermarket than in a luxury department store.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-22, volume=407, issue=8841, page=68, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= T time , passage=The ability to shift profits to low -tax countries by locating intellectual property in them, which is then licensed to related businesses in high-tax countries, is often assumed to be the preserve of high-tech companies. […] current tax rules make it easy for all sorts of firms to generate […] “stateless income”: profit subject to tax in a jurisdiction that is neither the location of the factors of production that generate the income nor where the parent firm is domiciled.}}
  • Of a pitch, suggesting a lower frequency.
  • Quiet; soft; not loud.
  • Despicable; lacking dignity; vulgar.
  • a person of low mind
    a low trick or stratagem
  • Lacking health or vitality; feeble; weak.
  • a low pulse
    made low by sickness
  • Being near the equator.
  • the low northern latitudes
  • Humble in character or status.
  • * Milton
  • Why but to keep ye low and ignorant?
  • * Felton
  • In comparison of these divine writers, the noblest wits of the heathen world are low and dull.
  • Simple in complexity or development.
  • Designed for the slowest speed, as in low gear .
  • Articulated with a wide space between the flat tongue and the palette.
  • (phonetics) Made, as a vowel, with a low position of part of the tongue in relation to the palate.
  • (archaic) Not rich, highly seasoned, or nourishing; plain; simple.
  • a low diet
    Synonyms
    * (in a position comparatively close to the ground) nether, underslung * (small in height) short, small * (depressed) blue, depressed, down, miserable, sad, unhappy, gloomy * reduced, devalued, low-level * low-pitched, deep, flat * low-toned, soft * (despicable thing to do) immoral, abject, scummy, scurvy
    Antonyms
    * (in a position comparatively close to the ground) high
    Derived terms
    * high and low * lowball * low blow * low bridge * low-budget * low-cost * Low Countries * low-cut * lower * lowercase * low-fat * Low German * low-grade * low island * lowland * Low Latin * low-level * low loader * lowly * low-lying * low road * low tide

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Something that is low; a low point.
  • You have achieved a new low in behavior, Frank.
    ''Economic growth has hit a new low .
  • A depressed mood or situation.
  • He is in a low right now
  • (meteorology) An area of low pressure; a depression.
  • The lowest-speed gearing of a power-transmission system, especially of an automotive vehicle.
  • Shift out of low before the car gets to eight miles per hour.
  • (card games) The lowest trump, usually the deuce; the lowest trump dealt or drawn.
  • (slang) (usually accompanied by "the") a cheap, cost-efficient, or advantageous payment or expense.
  • He got the brand new Yankees jersey for the low .

    Adverb

    (er)
  • Close to the ground.
  • Of a pitch, at a lower frequency.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Can sing both high and low .
  • With a low voice or sound; not loudly; gently.
  • to speak low
  • * Tennyson
  • The odorous wind / Breathes low between the sunset and the moon.
  • Under the usual price; at a moderate price; cheaply.
  • He sold his wheat low .
  • In a low mean condition; humbly; meanly.
  • * '>citation
  • In a time approaching our own.
  • * John Locke
  • In that part of the world which was first inhabited, even as low down as Abraham's time, they wandered with their flocks and herds.
  • (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.
  • The moon runs low , i.e. comparatively near the horizon when on or near the meridian.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To depress; to lower.
  • (Jonathan Swift)

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl), from (etyl) . More at laugh.

    Verb

    (head)
  • .
  • Etymology 3

    From (etyl) . More at claim.

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To moo.
  • The cattle were lowing .
  • * Gray
  • The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea.

    Etymology 4

    From (etyl) lowe, loghe, from (etyl) . More at leye, light.

    Alternative forms

    * lowe

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (countable, UK, Scotland, dialect) A flame; fire; blaze.
  • Verb

    (en verb)
  • (UK, Scotland, dialect) To burn; to blaze.
  • (Burns)

    Etymology 5

    From (etyl) . Obsolete by the 19th century, survives in toponymy as -low.

    Alternative forms

    * lawe

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • , mound, tumulus.
  • A barrow or Low, such as were usually cast up over the bodies of eminent Captains.'' (Robert Plot, ''The natural history of Staffordshire , 1686; cited after OED).
  • (Scottish dialectal, archaic) A hill.
  • And some they brought the brown lint-seed, and flung it down from the Low.'' (Mary Howitt, ''Ballads and other poems 1847)

    Statistics

    *

    up

    English

    (part of speech is dubious for many senses) (wikipedia up)

    Adverb

    (-)
  • Away from the centre of the Earth or other planet; in opposite direction to the downward pull of gravity.
  • I looked up and saw the airplane overhead.
  • (intensifier) (Used as an aspect marker to indicate a completed action or state) Thoroughly, completely.
  • I will mix up the puzzle pieces.
    Tear up the contract.
    He really messed up .
    Please type up our monthly report.
  • To or from one's possession or consideration.
  • I picked up some milk on the way home.
    The committee will take up your request.
    She had to give up her driver's license after the accident.
  • North.
  • I will go up to New York to visit my family this weekend.
  • To a higher level of some quantity or notional quantity, such as price, volume, pitch, happiness, etc.
  • Gold has gone up with the uncertainty in the world markets.
    Turn it up , I can barely hear it.
    Listen to your voice go up at the end of a question.
    Cheer up , the weekend's almost here.
  • (rail transport) Traditional term for the direction leading to the principal terminus, towards milepost zero.
  • (sailing) Against the wind or current.
  • (Cartesian graph) In a positive vertical direction.
  • (cricket) Relatively close to the batsman.
  • The bowler pitched the ball up .
  • (hospitality) Without additional ice.
  • Would you like that drink up or on ice?
  • (UK, academia) Towards Cambridge or Oxford.
  • She's going up to read Classics this September.
  • * 1867 , John Timbs, Lives of wits and humourists , p. 125
  • The son of the Dean of Lichfield was only three years older than Steele, who was a lad of only twelve, when at the age of fifteen, Addison went up to Oxford.
  • * 1998 , Rita McWilliams Tullberg, Women at Cambridge , p. 112
  • Others insinuated that women 'crowded up to Cambridge', not for the benefits of a higher education, but because of the proximity of 2,000 young men.
  • * 2002 , Peter Harman, Cambridge Scientific Minds , p. 79
  • A precocious mathematician, Babbage was already well versed in the Continental mathematical notations when he went up to Cambridge.
  • To or in a position of equal advance or equality; not short of, back of, less advanced than, away from, etc.; usually followed by to'' or ''with .
  • I was up to my chin in water.
    A stranger came up and asked me for directions.
  • To or in a state of completion; completely; wholly; quite.
  • Drink up . The pub is closing.
    Can you sum up your research?
    The comet burned up in the atmosphere.
    I need to sew up the hole in this shirt.
  • Aside, so as not to be in use.
  • to lay up''' riches; put '''up your weapons

    Antonyms

    * (away from the centre of the Earth) down * (louder) down * (higher in pitch) down * (towards the principal terminus) down

    Derived terms

    * all it's cracked up to be * back up * backup * bottoms up * bottom-up * blow up * break up * buck up * build up * burn up * clog up * cloud up * clean up * clear up * close up * crack up * cut up * double up * dress up * dry up * eat up * finish up * gang up * gang up on * go up * kick up * knock up * lash up * let up * look up * lookup * muck up * one-up * one-upmanship * open up * polish up * run up * runner up * runup * shake up * shoot up * show up * shut up * stir up * stop up * turn up * up a tree * up to * up to it * upon * upper * uppity * upto * upward * upwards * walkup * wet up * work up * write up

    Preposition

    (English prepositions)
  • Toward the top of.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4 , passage=Judge Short had gone to town, and Farrar was off for a three days' cruise up the lake. I was bitterly regretting I had not gone with him when the distant notes of a coach horn reached my ear, and I descried a four-in-hand winding its way up the inn road from the direction of Mohair.}}
  • Toward the center, source, or main point of reference; toward the end at which something is attached.
  • Further along (in any direction).
  • From south to north of
  • * 2012 October 31, David M. Halbfinger, "[http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/01/nyregion/new-jersey-continues-to-cope-with-hurricane-sandy.html?hp]," New York Times (retrieved 31 October 2012):
  • Though the storm raged up the East Coast, it has become increasingly apparent that New Jersey took the brunt of it.

    Antonyms

    * (toward the top of) down

    Derived terms

    * give up * pick up * put up * ring up * take up * throw up * up a creek * up someone's alley

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Awake.
  • I can’t believe it’s 3 a.m. and you’re still up .
  • Finished, to an end
  • Time is up !
  • In a good mood.
  • I’m feeling up today.
  • Willing; ready.
  • If you are up for a trip, let’s go.
  • Next in a sequence.
  • Smith is up to bat.
  • Happening; new.
  • What is up with that project at headquarters?
  • Facing upwards; facing toward the top.
  • Put the notebook face up on the table.
    Take a break and put your feet up .
  • Larger, greater in quantity.
  • Sales are up from last quarter.
  • Standing.
  • Get up and give her your seat.
  • On a higher level.
  • * 1925 , Walter Anthony and Tom Reed (titles), , silent movie
  • The Phantom! The Phantom is up from the cellars again!’
  • Available; made public.
  • The new notices are up as of last Tuesday.
  • Well-informed; current.
  • I’m not up on the latest news. What’s going on?
  • (computing) Functional; working.
  • Is the server back up ?
  • (of a railway line or train) Traveling towards a major terminus.
  • The London train is on the up line.
  • Headed, or designated to go, upward, as an escalator, stairway, elevator etc.
  • (bar tending) Chilled and strained into a stemmed glass.
  • A Cosmopolitan is typically served up .
  • (slang) Erect.
  • (of the Sun or Moon) Above the horizon, in the sky (i.e. during daytime or night-time)
  • * 1898 , , (Moonfleet) Chapter 4
  • I have said I was still in darkness, yet it was not the blackness of the last night; and looking up into the inside of the tomb above, I could see the faintest line of light at one corner, which showed the sun was up .
  • (slang, graffiti) well-known; renowned
  • * 1996 , Matthew Busby Hunt, The Sociolinguistics of Tagging and Chicano Gang Graffiti (page 71)
  • Being "up" means having numerous graffiti in the tagging landscape.
  • * 2009 , Gregory J. Snyder, Graffiti Lives: Beyond the Tag in New York's Urban Underground (pages 16-40)
  • Graffiti writers want their names seen by writers and others so that they will be famous. Therefore writers are very serious about any opportunity to “get up'.” The throw-up became one of the fundamental techniques for getting ' up , and thereby gaining recognition and fame.
  • * 2011 , Adam Melnyk, Visual Orgasm: The Early Years of Canadian Graffiti
  • From his great rooftop pieces, selected for high visibility, to his sneaky tags and fun loving stickers, he most certainly knows how to get up .

    Antonyms

    * (facing upwards) down * (on a higher level) down * down * (traveling towards a major terminus) down

    Derived terms

    * know which end is up * up and running * up for grabs * upside * upside down

    Noun

    (en-noun)
  • (uncountable) The direction opposed to the pull of gravity.
  • Up is a good way to go.
  • (countable) A positive thing.
  • I hate almost everything about my job. The only up is that it's so close to home.
  • An upstairs room of a two story house.
  • She lives in a two-up two-down.

    Usage notes

    * Up is not commonly used as object of a preposition.

    Antonyms

    * (direction opposed to the pull of gravity) down

    Derived terms

    * ups and downs

    Verb

    (upp)
  • (colloquial) To increase or raise.
  • If we up the volume, we'll be able to make out the details.
    We upped anchor and sailed away.
  • *
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=December 10 , author=Marc Higginson , title=Bolton 1 - 2 Aston Villa , work=BBC Sport citation , passage=After a dreadful performance in the opening 45 minutes, they upped their game after the break and might have taken at least a point from the match.}}
  • (colloquial) To promote.
  • It wasn’t long before they upped him to Vice President.
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • To act suddenly, usually with another verb.
  • He just upped and quit.
    He upped and punched that guy.
  • * 1991 , (Michael Jackson),
  • And she didn't leave a letter, she just upped and ran away.

    Synonyms

    * (increase) turn up

    Derived terms

    * up and * up and go * up and leave * up the ante * up the game

    References

    * Andrea Tyler and Vyvyan Evans, "Spatial particles of orientation", in The Semantics of English Prepositions: Spatial Scenes, Embodied Meaning and Cognition , Cambridge University Press, 2003, 0-521-81430 8

    Statistics

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