Word
lowdown
Phoneticslow·down, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɫoʊˌdaʊn/
UK/lˈəʊdaʊn/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. the true facts or important details about something. You ask for it when you want the full story.
n. inside information giving the full facts about a person, situation, or plan.
Examples
“She gives me the lowdown on every meeting.”
“Before the interview, his friend gives him the lowdown on the manager and the team.”
“The reporter spent weeks gathering the lowdown on the housing deal, piecing together council records and quiet interviews with former staff.”
Examples
simple
“She gives me the lowdown on every meeting.”
contextual
“Before the interview, his friend gives him the lowdown on the manager and the team.”
complex
“The reporter spent weeks gathering the lowdown on the housing deal, piecing together council records and quiet interviews with former staff.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “lowdown” in context.
Verb
01. ask for lowdown
“He asked for the lowdown on the merger before voting.”
verb + prep + noun
02. get lowdown
“I called Sarah to get the lowdown on the interview process.”
verb + noun
03. give lowdown
“Can you give me the lowdown on your trip to Berlin?”
verb + noun
Adjective
04. full lowdown
“She gave me the full lowdown on the new project before the meeting.”
adj + noun
05. inside lowdown
“He works at the club, so he has the inside lowdown on transfers.”
adj + noun
06. real lowdown
“Tell me the real lowdown on what happened at school yesterday.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. lowdown on situation
“Our guide gave us the lowdown on the local situation.”
noun + prep + noun
08. ask for the lowdown
“She asked for the lowdown on the exam results yesterday.”
09. get the full lowdown
“Let's meet for coffee so you can get the full lowdown.”
10. get the lowdown on
“I need to get the lowdown on the new manager before Monday.”
11. give someone the lowdown
“My friend gave me the lowdown before my first day at work.”
12. give the lowdown on
“The agent gave the lowdown on prices before we made an offer.”
Usage
Typically used as 'the lowdown on' something; takes the definite article 'the'.
Etymology
Compound adjective of low + down in the sense of "humble" recorded in the 1540s, in the sense of "vulgar, far down the social scale" in 1888. Recorded as a noun in 1915 in the slang sense of secret or inside information.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/lowdown