a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. xi. vi. 583 In his risinge and douncomynge dewe ȝeueþ vertue and strengþe to treen.

a1425 (a1400) Prick of Conscience (Galba & Harl.) (1863) l. 5271 He [sc. Christ] sal þan at his doun commyng Þe taken of þe croys wyth hym bring.

c1480 (a1400) St. Lawrence l. 534 in W. M. Metcalfe Legends Saints Sc. Dial. (1896) I. 417 A kyrk..sic ned had of mending, þat it was nere þe done-cummyng.

a1500 (?a1400) Stanzaic Life of Christ (Harl. 3909) (1926) l. 6367 (MED) At Cristes don-comyng, ouer-comen was Sathan.

1599 J. Minsheu Percyvall's Dict. Spanish & Eng. at Abaxadéro A place of descending, a side of a hill, a downe comming.

1651 Severall Proc. Parl. No. 112. 1739 We..have found it most necessary, to desire and invite all Shires..to a joynt correspondence for attending the down-comming of the English Commissioners.

a1698 W. Row Suppl. in R. Blair Life (1848) (modernized text) xii. 400 Before the bishops' downcoming.

1749 Active Testimony True Presbyterians Scotl. 4 All that wish well to our Zion, and long for the down coming of Babylon.

1859 H. T. Ellis Hong Kong to Manilla vii. 135 After various and sundry down-comings over the bamboos, fast stickings in the mire, and other mishaps..the welcome lights of the village of Tananan began to gleam through the rain on us.

1883 W. Besant All in Garden Fair II. vi. 167 A sad downcoming of his lofty aims.

1916 J. H. Moore Universal Kinship 98 They have lain on the same great anvil, and felt the down-comings of the same sledge.

1953 M. Traynor Eng. Dial. Donegal 186 Matches (with view to marriage) are made in heaven, but a lot of them are misgiggled in the down-coming.

1988 G. Lamb Orkney Wordbk. at Down Dooncoming, a sloping path or road: I met him in the dooncoming.

1663 A. Gray Great & Precious Promises iii. 64 Oh, do ye ever think to find a more down coming market?

1851 H. Melville Moby-Dick cxxxv. 631 Starbuck and Stubb, standing upon the bowsprit beneath, caught sight of the down-coming monster.

1922 J. Joyce Ulysses ii. xv. [Circe] 413 He disappears into Olhousen's, the pork butcher's, under the downcoming rollshutter.

1962 J. F. Floherty & M. McGrady Skin-diving Adventures xii. 170 Frank Randall, racing against the downcoming rain, dashed up the front walk and ducked quickly beneath the shelter of the porch.

2001 Observer 29 Apr. (Life Suppl.) 3/2 I now have to carry him across the staggered junction and up the bloody hill, with downcoming cars now running over my toes.