If something is below something else, it is in a lower position.
He appeared from the apartment directly below Leonard's.
The path runs below a long brick wall.
The sun had already sunk below the horizon.
The boat dipped below the surface of the water.
Synonyms: under, beneath, underneath, lower than More Synonyms of below
Below is also an adverb.
We climbed rather perilously down a rope-ladder to the boat below.
...a view to the street below.
Spread out below was a great crowd.
2.
See below ground
3. adverb [noun ADVERB, ADVERB after verb]
You use below in a piece of writing to refer to something that is mentioned later.
Please contact me on the number below.
For a step-by-step guide see below.
4. preposition
If something is below a particular amount, rate, or level, it is less than that amount, rate, or level.
Night temperatures can drop below 15 degrees Celsius.
The company agreed to keep overall price increases to 7.5 per cent below inflation.
Rainfall has been below average.
Synonyms: less than, under, lower than, smaller than More Synonyms of below
Below is also an adverb.
...temperatures at zero or below.
5. preposition
If someone is below you in an organization, they are lower in rank.
Such people often experience less stress than those in the ranks immediately belowthem.
...pay rises awarded to all white-collar staff below chief officer level.
Synonyms: subordinate to, under, subject to, inferior to More Synonyms of below
6. below par
More Synonyms of below
English Easy Learning GrammarPrepositionsA preposition is one of a small but very common group of words that relate differentitems to each other. Most English prepositions have a number of meanings ... Read more
below in British English
(bɪˈləʊ)
preposition
1.
at or to a position lower than; under
2.
less than in quantity or degree
3.
south of
4.
downstream of
5.
unworthy of; beneath
adverb
6.
at or to a lower position or place
7.
at a later place (in something written)
see below
8. archaic
beneath heaven; on earth or in hell
Word origin
C14: bilooghe, from biby + looghelow1
below in American English
(bɪˈloʊ)
adverb, adjective
1.
in or to a lower place; beneath
2.
in a lower place on the page or on a later page (of a book, etc.)
3.
in or to hell
4.
on earth
5.
on or to a lower floor or deck
6.
in or to a lesser rank, amount, etc.
7.
at a temperature lower than zero
it reached 13 below
preposition
8.
lower than, as in position, rank, or worth
9.
unworthy of
it is below her to say that
Word origin
see be- & low1
Examples of 'below' in a sentence
below
Mixed fleet crew earn just over the minimum wage and below the national average.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Why did he sleep in his car when temperatures were plunging below zero?
The Sun (2017)
See below for details of how to enter.
The Sun (2017)
For your copy email the address below.
The Sun (2016)
Forecasters say temperatures will crash below zero with snow likely in some areas in the coming weeks.
The Sun (2016)
Not one of the security guards below had seen us.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It is claimed that some cabin crew earned barely above the minimum wage and well below the national average.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The copper run-off is not targeted and will kill plants on the ground below.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
Inflation is dropping below 6 per cent but it remains to be seen whether that can be maintained.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
With temperatures predicted to drop below zero this week and the fighting intensifying, there is worse to come.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The south cooled down significantly and temperatures are set to remain around or below average thisweek.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
But yesterday the number of congressman supporting the measure appeared to drop below a majority.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Please tick box below to show which wash chosen.
The Sun (2009)
All fluid drinks are also taken at below the ambient temperature.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
See below for details on how to enter.
The Sun (2008)
You have to when the temperature in more than half the country hovers below zero in winter.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
They are still eyeing automatic promotion and take on the team directly below them in the table.
The Sun (2015)
Watch these weird and wacky clips today at the address below.
The Sun (2009)
The company stopped operations when the roof had been raised to half a mile below ground.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Sharp temperatures that are well below zero over a long period are more harmful to birds.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
The pictures are intended to be placed on two columns directly below the main dome.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Then email your video to the address below.
The Sun (2014)
Since the war there has been a slow retreat from life below ground.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
There are few crowded mills below any more.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
You can see my thoughts below.
Christianity Today (2000)
In the classic disaster the crew drop below the minimum safe altitude in the belief that they are about to see the runway.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
But they are also just below human resources people - the ones responsible for your happiness at work.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
SEE below to find out what happened to some of the original cast.
The Sun (2010)
Please confirm your preferences below.
The Sun (2011)
The average age is below 26, which is welcome.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
See panel, below left.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
In other languages
below
British English: below /bɪˈləʊ/ ADVERB
Below means at or to a lower position or place.
We climbed down a ladder to the boat below.
American English: below
Arabic: تـَحْتَ
Brazilian Portuguese: abaixo
Chinese: 在下面
Croatian: dolje
Czech: dole
Danish: nedenfor
Dutch: eronder
European Spanish: abajo
Finnish: alapuolella
French: en dessous
German: unten
Greek: κάτω
Italian: sotto
Japanese: 下に
Korean: 아래쪽에
Norwegian: under
Polish: poniżej
European Portuguese: abaixo
Romanian: dedesubt
Russian: внизу
Latin American Spanish: abajo
Swedish: nedanför
Thai: อยู่ข้างล่าง
Turkish: altında
Ukrainian: нижче
Vietnamese: ở dưới
British English: below /bɪˈləʊ/ PREPOSITION
If something is below another thing, it is lower down than it.
His shoes were below his bed.
American English: below
Arabic: تـَحْتَ
Brazilian Portuguese: debaixo de
Chinese: 在...下面
Croatian: ispod
Czech: pod
Danish: under
Dutch: onder
European Spanish: debajo de
Finnish: alla
French: sous
German: unter
Greek: κάτω από
Italian: sotto
Japanese: ･･･より下に
Korean: ...보다 아래에
Norwegian: nedenfor
Polish: pod (czymś)
European Portuguese: abaixo de
Romanian: sub
Russian: под
Latin American Spanish: debajo de
Swedish: nedanför
Thai: อยู่ตอนใต้
Turkish: altında
Ukrainian: під
Vietnamese: ở dưới
All related terms of 'below'
below par
If you say that someone or something is below par or under par , you are disappointed in them because they are below the standard you expected .
below decks
If someone or something is below decks , they are inside a ship in the part of it that is underneath the deck.
below ground
If something is below ground or below the ground , it is in the ground.
below stairs
People sometimes use below stairs to refer to the servants in a rich household and the things that are connected with them.
below-the-belt
Something that is below the belt is cruel and unfair.
below-the-line
denoting the entries printed below the horizontal line on a company's profit-and-loss account that show how any profit is to be distributed
under/below strength
If an army or team is under strength or below strength , it does not have all the members that it needs or usually has.
below par/under par
If you feel below par or under par , you feel tired and unable to perform as well as you normally do.
above ground/below ground
Something that is below ground is under the earth's surface or under a building . Something that is above ground is on top of the earth's surface.
below-the-line promotion
Below-the-line promotion is the use of promotional methods that can be controlled by the company selling the goods or service, such as in-store offers and direct selling. Compare → above-the-line promotion .
above (or below) the salt
in a more honored (or less honored) position
below-the-line advertising
the use of sales promotions, direct marketing , in-store exhibitions and displays, trade shows, sponsorship and merchandising that do not involve an advertising agency
under one's breath
If you say something under your breath , you say it in a very quiet voice, often because you do not want other people to hear what you are saying .
below par/under par/not up to par
If you feel below par or under par or not up to par , you feel tired and unable to perform as well as you normally do.
put one's head above the parapet/keep one's head below the parapet
If you say that someone puts their head above the parapet , you mean they take a risk . If you say they keep their head below the parapet , you mean they avoid taking a risk.
Chinese translation of 'below'
below
(bɪˈləu)
prep
(= beneath) 在 ... 之下 (zài ... zhīxià)
(= less than)[level, rate]低于(於) (dīyú)
adv
(= beneath) 下面 (xiàmian)
(= less) 以下 (yǐxià)
below zero零度以下 (língdù yǐxià)
below sea level在海平面以下 (zài hǎipíngmiàn yǐxià)
temperatures below normal or average低于(於)正常或平均温(溫)度 (dīyú zhèngcháng (huò) píngjūn wēndù)