Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🕵️ The real facts 🤥 A mean action 😒 Dishonest or mean
lowdown

lowdown

15 5.8
The true facts about something, often not widely known
  • noun
  • /ˈloʊˌdaʊn/
  • Informal
translation icon : información
  • I know the neighborhood real well, so... if you want the lowdown on stores and things like that, I could...
  • get the lowdown
  • give us the lowdown
  • Here's the lowdown

I'm just giving you the lowdown that actually did work and that's that.

Examples

  • Anyway, I was hoping you could give us the lowdown on the Russians.

    Spirit of the Game (2016)

  • The report provided a complete lowdown on the company’s financial troubles.

  • If you want the lowdown on that German bag, get yourself here.

    Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

  • Let me give you the lowdown on all the benefits.

    Blog text (4)

  • But I want to give you the lowdown.

    End of Watch (2012)

  • So give us the lowdown.

    The Big Wedding (2013)

  • Read on as we give you the lowdown on the best tips for breaking up with a psycho.

    Blog text (31)

  • Head on over to Photojojo for the lowdown on how to put this thing together!

    Blog text (15)

  • All right, so here it is, here's the lowdown.

    Band Aid (2017)

  • Give us the lowdown.

    The Front Page (1974)

Synonyms

secret
vslowdown
∞ 1.0

A piece of information kept hidden from others

is specifically about the most important or true facts, not every hidden item
inside scoop
vslowdown
  • Literature
10 5.5

Secret information that only a few people know about a company or event

stresses the most important true facts rather than only privileged access
the skinny
vslowdown
  • Slang
8 9.8

Information that gives the most important facts about what happened, often secret

focuses on core factual importance rather than just practical usefulness
hidden truth
vslowdown
2 6.2

A fact that people keep secret from others

adds emphasis on importance and truth beyond mere concealment
low-down
vslowdown
  • Slang
1 8.5

True information about something often not widely known

is the standard term rather than the slang or hyphenated form

How Complete

lowdown
  • Informal
15 5.8
summary
397 2.7
detail
∞ 1.0
hint
229 1.5

Surface Forms

lowdown singular
lowdowns plural

Morphology

lowdown = low (opaque) = down + low

Although morphologically 'low' + 'down', the noun meaning 'the essential facts' or 'the scoop' is an idiomatic extension that cannot be reliably derived from the parts. [Postprocessing: moved 'down' from base_words to prefix]

Etymology

Lowdown meaning 'the facts' grew from the idea of the 'low' or basic truth at the bottom of a story. A helpful way to remember this sense is to link low with 'down-to-earth', so lowdown means the real, important facts you need.