from higher to lower; in descending direction or order; toward, into, or in a lower position: to come down the ladder.
on or to the ground, floor, or bottom: He fell down.
to or in a sitting or lying position.
to or in a position, area, or district considered lower, especially from a geographical or cartographic standpoint, as to the south, a business district, etc.: We drove from San Francisco down to Los Angeles.
to or at a lower value or rate.
to a lesser pitch or volume: Turn down the radio.
in or to a calmer, less active, or less prominent state: The wind died down.
from an earlier to a later time: from the 17th century down to the present.
from a greater to a lesser strength, amount, etc.: to water down liquor.
in an attitude of earnest application: to get down to work.
on paper or in a book: Write down the address.
in cash at the time of purchase; at once: We paid $50 down and $20 a month.
to the point of defeat, submission, inactivity, etc.: They shouted down the opposition.
in or into a fixed or supine position: They tied down the struggling animal.
to the source or actual position: The dogs tracked down the bear.
into a condition of ill health: He's come down with a cold.
in or into a lower status or condition: kept down by lack of education.
Nautical. toward the lee side, so as to turn a vessel to windward: Put the helm down!
Slang. on toast (as used in ordering a sandwich at a lunch counter or restaurant): Give me a tuna down.
preposition
in a descending or more remote direction or place on, over, or along: They ran off down the street.
adjective
downward; going or directed downward: the down escalator.
being at a low position or on the ground, floor, or bottom.
toward the south, a business district, etc.
associated with or serving traffic, transportation, or the like, directed toward the south, a business district, etc.: the down platform.
downcast; depressed; dejected: You seem very down today.
ailing, especially, sick and bedridden: He's been down with a bad cold.
being the portion of the full price, as of an article bought on the installment plan, that is paid at the time of purchase or delivery: a payment of $200 down.
Football. (of the ball) not in play.
Slang.
agreeing, supporting, or understanding: I'm totally down with that.He's down with those kids.
sophisticated or hip; cool: That music is down.
behind an opponent or opponents in points, games, etc.: The team won the pennant despite having been down three games in the final week of play.
Baseball. out.
losing or having lost the amount indicated, especially at gambling: After an hour at poker, he was down $10.
having placed one's bet: Are you down for the fourth race?
finished, done, considered, or taken care of: five down and one to go.
out of order; not functioning: The computer has been down all day.
noun
a downward movement; descent.
a turn for the worse; reverse: The business cycle experienced a sudden down.
Football.
one of a series of four plays during which a team must advance the ball at least 10 yards (9 meters) to keep possession of it.
the declaring of the ball as down or out of play, or the play immediately preceding this.
Slang. an order of toast at a lunch counter or restaurant.
Slang. downer (defs. 1a, b).
verb (used with object)
to put, knock, or throw down; subdue: He downed his opponent in the third round.
to drink down, especially quickly or in one gulp: to down a tankard of ale.
Informal. to defeat in a game or contest: The Mets downed the Dodgers in today's game.
to cause to fall from a height, especially by shooting: Antiaircraft guns downed ten bombers.
verb (used without object)
to go down; fall.
interjection
(used as a command to a dog to stop attacking, to stop jumping on someone, to get off a couch or chair, etc.): Down, Rover!
(used as a command or warning to duck, take cover, or the like): Down! They're starting to shoot!
VIDEO FOR DOWN
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Idioms for down
down and out, down-and-out.
down cold / pat, mastered or learned perfectly: Another hour of studying and I'll have the math lesson down cold.
down in the mouth, discouraged; depressed; sad.
down on, Informal. hostile or averse to: Why are you so down on sports?
down with!
away with! cease!: Down with tyranny!
on or toward the ground or into a lower position: Down with your rifles!
Origin of down
1
First recordedbefore 1100; Middle English doune, Old English dūne, shortening of adūne for of dūne “off (the) hill”; see origin at a-2, down3
the soft under plumage of birds as distinct from the contour feathers.
the under plumage of some birds, as geese and ducks, used for filling in quilts, clothing, etc., chiefly for warmth.
a growth of soft, fine hair or the like.
Botany.
a fine, soft pubescence on plants and some fruits.
the light, feathery pappus or coma on seeds by which they are borne on the wind, as on the dandelion and thistle.
adjective
filled with down: a down jacket.
Origin of down
2
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English downe, from Old Norse dūnn; akin to Sanskrit dhūmá- “smoke,” Greek thȳmós “soul, breath, spirit,” Latin fūmus “smoke,” Lithuanian dū́mai “smoke,” Slavic (Polish) dym “smoke”
OTHER WORDS FROM down
downless,adjectivedownlike,adjective
Definition for down (3 of 4)
down3
[ doun ]
/ daʊn /
noun
Often downs.(used especially in southern England) open, rolling, upland country with fairly smooth slopes usually covered with grass.
(initial capital letter) any sheep of several breeds, raised originally in the downs of southern England, as the Southdown, Suffolk, etc.
Archaic. a hill, especially a sand hill or dune.
Origin of down
3
First recorded before 1000; Middle English dun, dune “hill, elevation,” Old English dūn “mountain, hill, down”; cognate with Dutch duin “mound, dune,” akin to Irish, Old Irish dún “citadel, fortress”; see origin at dune, town
Definition for down (4 of 4)
Down
[ doun ]
/ daʊn /
noun
a county in SW Northern Ireland. 952 sq. mi. (2,466 sq. km). County seat: Downpatrick.
an administrative district in this county. 253 sq. mi. (654 sq. km).
But his fingers moved through her silky strands of hair, and then down her neck.
Powerful Congressman Writes About ‘Fleshy Breasts’|Asawin Suebsaeng|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
“He has to really stay on the down low, he has to make sure that he blends in,” Ney told the Beast.
Abramoff’s Advice for Virginia’s New Jailhouse Guv|Tim Mak, Jackie Kucinich|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
They should have pointed the nose of the Airbus down and applied more power.
Flight 8501 Poses Question: Are Modern Jets Too Automated to Fly?|Clive Irving|January 4, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Advanced maternal age dramatically increases the risk of maternal mortality as well as birth defects like Down Syndrome.
Men Will Someday Have Kids Without Women|Samantha Allen|January 3, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In the week starting Dec. 22, arrests were down 66 percent compared to the same week in 2013.
Ground Zero of the NYPD Slowdown|Batya Ungar-Sargon|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The same thought had come to Hubert Varrick as he paced wearily up and down his own room.
Kidnapped at the Altar|Laura Jean Libbey
They use these almadias for catching fish, and for transporting themselves up or down the river.
A General History and Collection of Voyages and Travels, Vol. II|Robert Kerr
Then he threshed his legs, where two of the creatures clung, trying to drag him down again.
Astounding Stories of Super-Science, August 1930|Various
The man looked confusedly up and down, to either hand, and was silent.
Sir Jasper Carew|Charles James Lever
Forsaken and half frozen, the child wandered up and down, not knowing where to find shelter.
Catharine's Peril, or The Little Russian Girl Lost in a Forest|M. E. Bewsher
British Dictionary definitions for down (1 of 5)
down1
/ (daʊn) /
preposition
used to indicate movement from a higher to a lower positionthey went down the mountain
at a lower or further level or position on, in, or alonghe ran down the street
adverb
downwards; at or to a lower level or positiondon't fall down
(particle)used with many verbs when the result of the verb's action is to lower or destroy its objectpull down; knock down; bring down
(particle)used with several verbs to indicate intensity or completioncalm down
immediatelycash down
on paperwrite this down
arranged; scheduledthe meeting is down for next week
in a helpless positionthey had him down on the ground
away from a more important placedown from London
away from a more northerly placedown from Scotland
(of a member of some British universities) away from the university; on vacation
in a particular part of a countrydown south
nautical(of a helm) having the rudder to windward
reduced to a state of lack or wantdown to the last pound
lacking a specified amountat the end of the day the cashier was ten pounds down
lower in pricebacon is down
including all intermediate terms, grades, people, etcfrom managing director down to tea-lady
from an earlier to a later timethe heirloom was handed down
to a finer or more concentrated stateto grind down; boil down
sportbeing a specified number of points, goals, etc behind another competitor, team, etcsix goals down
(of a person) being inactive, owing to illnessdown with flu
(functioning as imperative)(to dogs)down Rover!
down with(functioning as imperative)wanting the end of somebody or somethingdown with the king!
get down on somethingAustralian and NZto procure something, esp in advance of needs or in anticipation of someone else
adjective
(postpositive)depressed or miserable
(prenominal)of or relating to a train or trains from a more important place or one regarded as higherthe down line
(postpositive)(of a device, machine, etc, esp a computer) temporarily out of action
made in casha down payment
down tothe responsibility or fault ofthis defeat was down to me
down withinformal
having a good understanding ofdown with computers
in agreement withcompletely down with that idea
enjoying mutual friendship and respect withdown with the kids
verb
(tr)to knock, push or pull down
(intr)to go or come down
(tr)informalto drink, esp quicklyhe downed three gins
(tr)to bring (someone) down, esp by tackling
noun
American footballone of a maximum of four consecutive attempts by one team to advance the ball a total of at least ten yards
a descent; downward movement
a lowering or a poor period (esp in the phrase ups and downs)
have a down oninformalto bear ill will towards (someone or something)
Word Origin for down
Old English dūne, short for adūne, variant of of dūne, literally: from the hill, from of, off + dūn hill; see down3
British Dictionary definitions for down (2 of 5)
down2
/ (daʊn) /
noun
the soft fine feathers with free barbs that cover the body of a bird and prevent loss of heat. In the adult they lie beneath and between the contour feathers
another name for eiderdown (def. 1)
botanya fine coating of soft hairs, as on certain leaves, fruits, and seeds
any growth or coating of soft fine hair, such as that on the human face
Word Origin for down
C14: of Scandinavian origin; related to Old Norse dūnn
British Dictionary definitions for down (3 of 5)
down3
/ (daʊn) /
noun
archaica hill, esp a sand duneSee also downs (def. 1), Downs (def. 1)
Word Origin for down
Old English dūn; related to Old Frisian dūne, Old Saxon dūna hill, Old Irish dūn fortress, Greek this sandbank; see dune, town
British Dictionary definitions for down (4 of 5)
Down1
/ (daʊn) /
noun
a district of SE Northern Ireland, in Co Down. Pop: 65 195 (2003 est). Area: 649 sq km (250 sq miles)
a historical county of SE Northern Ireland, on the Irish Sea: generally hilly, rising to the Mountains of Mourne: in 1973 it was replaced for administrative purposes by the districts of Ards, Banbridge, Castlereagh, Down, Newry and Mourne, North Down, and part of Lisburn. Area: 2466 sq km (952 sq miles)
British Dictionary definitions for down (5 of 5)
Down2
/ (daʊn) /
noun
any of various lowland breeds of sheep, typically of stocky build and having dense close wool, originating from various parts of southern England, such as Oxford, Hampshire, etcSee also Dorset Down