Cool MateLower vs You can put your hands down
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Lower
Top 1,000 (very common)B2verb
You can put your hands down
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Lower
| Lower | You can put your hands down | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈləʊə(r)/","/ˈləʊəz/","/ˈləʊəd/","/ˈləʊərɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈləʊər/","/ˈləʊərz/","/ˈləʊərd/","/ˈləʊərɪŋ/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //jʊ kæn pʊt jɔː hændz daʊn//🇺🇸 //ju kæn pʊt jɔːr hændz daʊn// |
| Meaning | to make something less high or to decrease it | To stop raising your hands and let them fall. |
| Example | The manager decided to lower the prices to attract more customers. | After answering the question, you can put your hands down. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | B2 | - |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | carefully, gently, gradually, into, onto, to, carefully, gently, gradually, into, onto, to | put your hands up, keep your hands up, raise your hands |
| Antonyms | raise, increase, elevate | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'lowered' when describing past actions., Incorrectly using 'lower' as an adjective instead of a verb., Mistaking 'lower' for 'less' in some contexts. | Using 'put down' instead of 'put' when referring to hands., Confusing with 'put your hands up' which means to raise them. |
| Usage notes | Use 'lower' when referring to reducing something physically or metaphorically. It’s appropriate in most contexts, but avoid using it in overly formal writing. | Usually used in contexts where someone is instructed to relax after being asked to raise their hands. It's informal and common in classroom settings. |
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Frequently asked questions: Lower vs You can put your hands down
What's the difference between Lower and You can put your hands down?
Lower: to make something less high or to decrease it You can put your hands down: To stop raising your hands and let them fall.
Which is more common: Lower and You can put your hands down?
Lower is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Lower: The manager decided to lower the prices to attract more customers. You can put your hands down: After answering the question, you can put your hands down.
Can I use Lower and You can put your hands down interchangeably?
Not always. Lower and You can put your hands down are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.