| 释义 |
downhill, n., adv., and a.
(see below)
A. n. |ˈdaʊnhɪl|. [f. down adv.]
1. The downward slope of a hill; a decline, declivity, descent (lit. and fig.).
1591Sylvester Du Bartas i. ii. 39 Th' Icie down-Hils of this slippery Life. 1607Topsell Four-f. Beasts (1658) 107 Some on horseback, other on foot, follow the cry..neither fearing thornes, woods, down-hils. 1795Burke Regic. Peace iv. Wks. IX. 119 It is not possible that the downhill should not be slid into. 1853W. Jerdan Autobiog. III. xiv. 207 To cheer and solace the downhill of life.
†2. slang. (pl.) False dice which run on the low numbers. Obs.
a1700B. E. Dict. Cant. Crew, Down-hills, Dice that run low. 1801Sporting Mag. XVIII. 100.
3. In Skiing: a downhill race.
1960Times 22 Jan. 16/3 The British women's ski running championships began here to-day with the downhill.
B. adv. |daʊnˈhɪl|. [f. down prep.] Down the slope of a hill; in a descending direction; on a decline; down-wards (lit. and fig.).
1659Burton's Diary (1828) IV. 348 Whether it be up-hill or down-hill. 1719De Foe Crusoe i. xiv, A very short cut, and all down-hill. 1795Ld. Auckland Corr. (1862) III. 313 They are going downhill..a well-concerted opposition will end the business. 1871Smiles Charac. i. (1876) 17 They broke through the French and sent them flying downhill.
C. adj. |ˈdaʊnhɪl|. Sloping or descending downwards; declining. (Also fig.)
1727Pope, etc. Art of Sinking 71 The gentle down-hill way to the bathos. a1729Congreve (J.), A downhill greensward. 1782Cowper Lett. 11 Nov., The down-hill side of life. 1856Froude Hist. Eng. II. 408 The monks had travelled swiftly on the downhill road of human corruption. |