below (someone or something)
1. In a physically lower position than someone or something. A: "Where are your towels?" B: "They're below the bed linens in the closet next to the bathroom." You'll be sleeping in the bunk below your brother. Luckily, a fireman was below Mara's window and able to catch her when she jumped to escape the fire.
2. Of a lower rank or position than someone or something else. Remember that you are below me in the hierarchy of power, Corporal. So you would do well to watch your tone of voice. She couldn't stand being below Tom after his promotion. He was just so infuriatingly arrogant about it. Because the seniors think we freshmen are below them, they make us do all sorts of dumb stuff for them.
3. Unsuitable to someone's or something's rank, dignity, or moral upbringing. He felt it was below someone of his royal lineage to associate with commoners. I knew there had to be someone acting on their own. Such a despicable act is below even a greedy company like FlemCo. Don't get drawn into such a petty fight with the likes of him, Tom. It's below you.
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.
*below someone or something
positioned under or lower than someone or something. (*Typically: be ~; lie ~; sink ~; sit ~.) The sun is below the horizon. The swimming hole is below the dam.
below someone
ranking below someone. I am below Terri, but my scores are better than Carol's. I am below everyone in the class.
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.