below
UK /bɪˈləʊ/ · US /bɪˈloʊ/ preposition, adverb, proper noun
Forms Belows
- preposition Lower in spatial position than. “The treasure is buried two meters below the surface.”
- preposition Lower than in value, price, rank, concentration, etc. “The temperature is below zero.”
- preposition Downstream of. “The River Thames is tidal below Teddington Lock.”
- preposition South of. “Sudan is below Egypt.”
- preposition Unsuitable to the rank or dignity of; beneath. “Such petty behavior is below me.”
- preposition (stage directions) Downstage of.
- adverb In or to a lower place. “The town is situated on a hillside, with a river running below.”
- adverb On or to a lower storey. “She lives below, on the ground floor.”
- adverb (nautical) On or to a lower deck, especially as relative to the main deck. “The captain went below to inspect the engine.”
- adverb Later in the same text. “This point is explained below.”
- adverb (of a temperature) Below zero. “It was forty degrees below.”
- proper noun A surname.
Synonyms
beneath under underneath downstream downstairs downwards at a lower place to a lower place infra down the stairs on a lower floor
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English bilooghe, equivalent to be- + low. Compare also earlier Middle English alogh, alow, aloȝ, alowe (“below”), benethen (“beneath”), Dutch omlaag (“downwards”).
Webster’s 1913
- preposition Under, or lower in place; beneath not so high; as, below the moon; below the knee. Shak.
- preposition Inferior to in rank, excellence, dignity, value, amount, price, etc.; lower in quality. "One degree below kings." Addison.
- adverb In a lower place, with respect to any object; in a lower room; beneath.
- adverb On the earth, as opposed to the heavens.
Etymology [Pref. be- by + low.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “below”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details