lowdown

• low-down

Compound adjective of low +‎ down in the sense of "humble" recorded in the 1540s, in the sense of "vulgar, far down the social scale" in 1888. Recorded as a noun in 1915 in the slang sense of secret or inside information.

lowdown (uncountable)

1. inside information, the story or truth.

   Synonyms: scoop, dirt, dope, straight dope, poop

   All the reporters hoped to be the first to get the lowdown on the celebrity's marriage plans.

   here's the lowdown

   to give somebody the lowdown

2. A lowlife, a despicable person.

lowdown (comparative more lowdown, superlative most lowdown)

1. Unfair; shameful.

   lowdown tactics

2. down low; purporting to be heterosexual while engaged in sex with men.

• down low, down-low, downlow