lower

get one's ears set out and get one's ears lowered

Fig. to get one's ears made more visible by getting a haircut. Well, I see you got your ears set out!' Better get my ears lowered because I'm getting a little shaggy.

See also: ear, get, out, set

lower someone's ears

Rur. to cut someone's hair. tasked the barber to lower my ears. Looks like somebody lowered foe's ears!

See also: ear

lower one's sights

Fig. to set one's goals lower. (Alludes to pointing the barrel of a rifle lower to lower the aim of the rifle.) Even though you get frustrated, don't lower your sights. I shouldn't lower my sights. If I work hard, I can do what I want.

See also: sight

lower one's voice

Fig. to speak more softly. Please lower your voice or you'll disturb the people who are working. He wouldn't lower his voice, so everyone heard what he said.

See also: voice

lower oneself to some level

Fig. to bring oneself down to some lower level of behavior. I refuse to lower myself to your level. Has TV news lowered itself to the level of the tabloids?

See also: level, oneself, some

lower the boom on someone

Fig. to scold or punish someone severely; to crack down on someone; to throw the book at someone. If Bob won't behave better, I'll have to lower the boom on him. The teacher lowered the boom on the whole class for misbehaving.

See also: boom

---

drop/lower your guard

to stop being careful to avoid danger or difficulty Once he knew I wasn't a journalist, he dropped his guard and even let me take a photograph of him.

See also: drop, guard

lower your sights

to accept something less good than the thing you were hoping for With so few jobs around she's had to lower her sights.

See drop guard

See also: sight

lower the boom  (American informal)

to suddenly stop someone doing something you do not approve of Dad lowered the boom. I have to stay in the next two weekends.

See also: boom

lower the tone

if something lowers the tone of a place, it makes it less suitable for people of a high social class, and if something lowers the tone of a conversation or a piece of writing, it makes it less polite or of a lower quality (usually + of ) The locals don't like students living around here. It lowers the tone of the neighbourhood. Trust you to lower the tone of the evening by telling rude jokes, Ian!

See also: tone

---

drop your guard also lower your guard

to stop being careful about sharing your ideas or feelings Once he knew I wasn't a journalist, he dropped his guard and even let me take a photograph of him.

See also: drop, guard

lower your sights also set your sights lower

to accept something that is not as good as what you originally wanted With so few jobs around she's had to lower her sights.

Usage notes: the opposite meaning is expressed by raise your sights (to try to get something better than you had originally expected)

See also: sight