low-down

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   informal: dishonest, unfair, or contemptible

   It was a low-down trick to hide the letter before anyone else could read it.

2. 2
   adj

   earthy, intense, and strongly rooted in the blues, especially of music

   The pianist settled into a low-down blues rhythm after midnight.

A compound of low + down, recorded in American English. The moral sense extends the idea of being low in rank or character; the musical sense developed in blues and jazz for an earthy, deeply felt style.

Topics