Lower, verb. (common).—To drink. For synonyms see Lush.
Lower regions, subs. phr. (colloquial).—Hell.
Fr. le pacquelin
du raboin.
Lowing-cheat (or -chete), subs.
(old).—See quot.
1573. Harman, Caveat (1814), 65. A lowting chete, a cowe.
Lowing-lay (or -rig), subs. phr.
(old).—Stealing oxen or cows.—Grose
(1823); Matsell (1859).
Lowlands, subs. (venery).—The
female pudendum. For synonyms
see Monosyllable.
Low-lived, adj. (colloquial).—Mean;
shabby; vulgar.
1766. Goldsmith, Vicar of W., xiii. She shall choose better company than such low-lived fellows as he.
Low-man, subs. (Cambridge University).—A
Junior Optimé as
compared to a Senior Optimé or
a Wrangler.
Low-men, subs. (gaming).—False
dice; so loaded as to show low
numbers. For synonyms see Fulhams.
Also low-runners.
1594. Nashe, Unf. Traveller, in Wks. (Grosart, v. 27). The dice of late are growen as melancholy as a dog, high men and low men both prosper alike.
1596. Shakspeare, Merry Wives, i. 3. Let vultures gripe thy guts! for gourd and fullam holds, And high and low beguiles the rich and poor.
1598. Florio, Worlde of Wordes, Pise. False dice, high men or low men.
1605. London Prodigal, Supp. to Sh. ii. 456. Item, to my son Mat Flowerdale I bequeath two bale of false dice, videlicet, high men and low men, fulloms, stop-cater-traies, and other bones of function.
1615. Harrington, Epigrams, i. 79. Then play thou for a pound or for a pin, High men or low men still are foisted in.
1647. Cartwright, The Ordinary (Dodsley, Old Plays, x. 238]. Your high And low men are but trifles; your pois'd dye, That's ballasted with quicksilver or gold, Is gross to this.
1674. Cotton, Compl. Gamester, p. 9. This [cheating] they do by false dice, as high-fullams, 4, 5, 6; low-fullams, 1, 2, 3. Ibid. Bristle-dice are fitted for their purpose, by sticking a hog's-bristle so in the corners, or otherwise in the dice, that they shall run high or low as they please; this bristle must be strong and short, by which means, the bristle bending, it will not lie on that side, but will be tript over.
1714. Lucas, Gamesters, 27. The high ones would run 4, 5, and 6; the low fulhams 1, 2, and 3.
1822. Scott, Fort. of Nigel, xxiii. Men talk of high and low dice.
Low-pad, subs. (old).—See quot.
1690.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Low-pad, a foot-pad.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v. Low-pad.
1834. Ainsworth, Rookwood (1864), p. 180. High-pads and low-pads.
Lowre. See Lour.
Low-water (or -tide). To be in
low-water (or at low-tide),
verb. phr. (colloquial).—To be in
difficulties, or penniless.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Low-tide, when there's no Money in a Man's Pocket.
1725. New Cant. Dict., s.v.
1785. Grose, Vulg. Tongue, s.v.
1837. Dickens, Oliver Twist, viii. I'm at low-water mark, only one bob and a magpie.
1885. Chamb. Journal, 21 Feb., p. 125. Or who, having been 'put away', and done their time, found themselves in low water upon their return to the outer world.
