To let descend by its own weight, as something suspended; to let down.
lower a bucket into a well
to lower a sail of a boat
2 more examples
1833 (first publication), Alfred Tennyson, A Dream of Fair Women Lower'd softly with a threefold cord of love Down to a silent grave.
At level crossings where there are to be half-barriers, train-operated through track-circuiting, the barriers will be timed to lower fully about five seconds before the fastest train can reach the crossing.1960 September, “Talking of Trains: New level-crossing signs”, in Trains Illustrated, page 519:
2
To pull down.
to lower a flag
3
To reduce the height of.
lower a fence or wall
lower a chimney or turret
4
To depress as to direction.
lower the aim of a gun
5
To make less elevated.
to lower one's ambition, aspirations, or hopes
6
To reduce the degree, intensity, strength, etc., of.
lower the temperature
lower one's vitality
2 more examples
lower distilled liquors
Please lower your voices. This is a library.
7
To bring down; to humble.
lower one's pride
8
To humble oneself; to do something one considers to be beneath one's dignity.
I could never lower myself enough to buy second-hand clothes.
9
To reduce (something) in value, amount, etc.
lower the price of goods
lower the interest rate
10
To fall; to sink; to grow less; to diminish; to decrease.
The river lowered as rapidly as it rose.
11
To decrease in value, amount, etc.
12
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences To reduce operations to single machine instructions, as part of compilation of a program.