go down

phrasal verb intransitive

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	go down
he/she/it	goes down
present participle	going down
past tense	went down
past participle	gone down

1
to sink below the surface of the water
The ship went down off the coast of Africa.
Synonyms and related words
To move, or to make something move in water
go down
carry
sink
1. 1a
  to fall to the ground
  We watched as the plane went down in a fiery blaze.
  Synonyms and related words
  To move, or to move something downwards
  fall
  lower
  come down
2. 1b
  when the sun or moon goes down, it moves below the horizon so you cannot see it any longer
  Synonyms and related words
  The movement of the sun, moon and stars
  rise
  go down
  eclipse
3. 1c
  (go down to) to be long enough to reach a particular lower point or level
  There were steps going down to what had once been a lawn.
  Synonyms and related words
  Words used to describe length
  abbreviated
  as long as your arm
  attenuated
2
to become less
No one expects house prices to go down in the near future.
How long will it take for the swelling to go down?
The crime rate shows no signs of going down.
Synonyms and related words
To become less in size, amount or value
crater
decrease
decline
3
to be remembered or recorded in a particular place or way
go down as:
Hansen will go down as one of the best teachers this school has ever had.
go down in:
Both their names went down in the referee’s notebook.
The efforts they made will go down in history.
Synonyms and related words
To cause someone to remember
remind
come to
bring back
4
to produce a particular reaction
go down well/badly (with someone):
The plan to put rents up has not gone down well with tenants.
Synonyms and related words
To produce a reaction or result
result in
decide
provoke
5
if food or drink goes down, you swallow it
You need smaller pills that go down more easily.
Synonyms and related words
To process food in the body
digest
assimilate
go down
6
to travel towards the south
go down to:
The family is going down to Brighton for a few days.
Synonyms and related words
To travel in a vehicle
go
ride
commute
1. 6a
  Britishto travel to a place that is smaller or less important than the place you are leaving
  go down to:
  We’re going down to the country next weekend.
  Synonyms and related words
  To travel in a vehicle
  go
  ride
  commute
7
to be defeated in a competition, especially in sport
go down to:
Canada went down 3–1 to the Russian team.
Synonyms and related words
To be defeated in a game, competition or argument
submit
surrender
appease
1. 7a
  Britishto move to a lower division in a sports league (=a group of teams)
  ‘I grew up a United fan,’ said Little. ‘I’ll be very sad if they go down.’
  Synonyms and related words
  To be defeated in a game, competition or argument
  submit
  surrender
  appease
8
computingif something such as a computer or an electrical system goes down, it stops working for a period of time
Synonyms and related words
To stop working (of a piece of equipment)
break down
go off
shut off
9
if lights go down, especially in a theatre or cinema, they gradually become less bright and are switched off
Synonyms and related words
To stop working (of a piece of equipment)
break down
go off
shut off
10
to become worse
I think the quality of their products has really gone down in the past few years.
Synonyms and related words
To become worse
worsen
decline
deteriorate
11
mainly Americaninformalto happen
I was nowhere near here when the robbery went down.
Synonyms and related words
General words meaning to happen
happen
come about
occur
12
Britishto leave a university, especially Oxford or Cambridge, at the end of a term (=period of study) or a course of study
Synonyms and related words
Attendance and non-attendance at school or university
absence
absenteeism
attend
13
Britishinformalto go to prison
Synonyms and related words
Spending time in prison
behind bars
captive
captivity
14
Philippine Englishto get off or out of a vehicle
I cautioned the lady bus driver not to go down from the bus.
Synonyms and related words
To get on and off of transport
get on
onto
transfer
15
go down in someone’s opinionto become less respected by someone than you were before, because of something that you have done
Synonyms and related words
To harm your own reputation
shame
dishonour
go down in someone’s opinion