Low·ly a. [Compar. Lowlier superl. Lowliest.]
 1. Not high; not elevated in place; low. “Lowly lands.”
 2. Low in rank or social importance.
    One common right the great and lowly claims.   --Pope.
 3. Not lofty or sublime; humble.
    These rural poems, and their lowly strain.   --Dryden.
 4. Having a low esteem of one's own worth; humble; meek; free from pride.
    Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart.   --Matt. xi. 29.


 lowly
      adj 1: low or inferior in station or quality; "a humble cottage";
             "a lowly parish priest"; "a modest man of the people";
             "small beginnings" [syn: humble, low, modest, small]
      2: inferior in rank or status; "the junior faculty"; "a lowly
         corporal"; "petty officialdom"; "a subordinate
         functionary" [syn: junior-grade, inferior, lower, lower-ranking,
          petty(a), secondary, subaltern, subordinate]
      3: used of unskilled work (especially domestic work) [syn: humble,
          menial]
      4: of low birth or station (`base' is archaic in this sense);
         "baseborn wretches with dirty faces"; "of humble (or
         lowly) birth" [syn: base, baseborn, humble]
      [also: lowliest, lowlier]


 lowliest
      See lowly