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low beam headlamp

low beam headlamp

3.3
A light setting that lights the road ahead without blinding other drivers
  • noun
  • US
translation icon : faros de luz baja
  • Please remember to switch to low beam headlamps when driving in traffic at night.

Examples

  • Make sure to use your low beam headlamp in foggy conditions.

  • The car's low beam headlamps were not functioning properly.

  • During rain or fog, it's safer to use your low beam headlamp instead of the high beams.

  • The driver forgot to turn off his low beam headlamps when he parked the car.

  • During rain or fog, it's safer to use your low beam headlamp instead of the high beams.

  • Please remember to switch to your low beam headlamp when driving in traffic at night.

  • Make sure to use your low beam headlamp in foggy conditions.

Synonyms

low beam
vslow beam headlamp
  • US
1 3.7

A headlight setting that lights the road without blinding other drivers

is the fuller phrase that includes the device rather than just the setting
dipped-beam headlamp
vslow beam headlamp
  • UK
5.3

A front light on a car that shines low to avoid blinding other drivers

is the more common technical name for that exact setting
low-beam
vslow beam headlamp
  • US
4.0

A headlight set to point down to avoid blinding other drivers

is the same meaning but written without a hyphen in the key form
meeting beam headlamp
vslow beam headlamp
  • UK
6.3

A headlight setting that lights the road without blinding other drivers

is the general setting for other vehicles being present rather than an encounter term
passing beam headlamp
vslow beam headlamp
  • UK
5.6

A light on a car that makes a low beam to light the road without hurting other drivers' eyes

is the general non dazzling setting, not focused on overtaking actions

Antonyms

A bright car light that shines far and should be used only when no other cars are ahead

How Bright

low beam headlamp
  • US
3.3

Surface Forms

Morphology

low + beam + headlamp

The meaning is directly compositional: 'low' (reduced/lower), 'beam' (shaft of light) and 'headlamp' (front vehicle lamp) combine to denote a headlamp setting that produces a lower/less-glary beam. This is a common, cross-linguistic driving collocation and follows regular English compound/phrase patterns, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily infer the meaning.

Etymology

The noun low beam headlamp comes from the simple idea of a headlamp that sends a beam of light set 'low' so it lights the road without blinding other drivers. That's why a low beam headlamp is the setting used when other vehicles are nearby: it gives light forward but does not 'blind' people on the road.