'low-life (adj) 1728, antedates OED2 1794

[Joel S. Berson]

They went to the Beggars Opera, and carried a Bottle of that Low-Life
Liquor Gin, to keep their Hearts up, under the Low-Life Performance.

_A Genuine Narrative of All the Street Robberies Committed since
October last, by James Dalton, And his Accomplices ..._.
London: J. Roberts, 1728.
p. 24-25.

"low-life" (a) antedates OED2 sense A. 1794-.

(But it's time to reconsider the definition for the noun:  "B. n. Pl.
usu. low-lifes. A coarse, vulgar, or no-good person. (Esp. in Jewish use.)".)

Joel

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org