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.
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.
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.
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.
(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!
down cold / pat, mastered or learned perfectly.
Another hour of studying and I'll have the math lesson down cold.
down and out, down-and-out.
down with!
away with! cease!.
Down with tyranny!
on or toward the ground or into a lower position.
Down with your rifles!
down on, hostile or averse to.
Why are you so down on sports?
down in the mouth, discouraged; depressed; sad.
the soft, first plumage of many young birds.
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.
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.
a county in SW Northern Ireland. 952 sq. mi. (2,466 sq. km). Downpatrick.
an administrative district in this county. 253 sq. mi. (654 sq. km).
used to indicate movement from a higher to a lower position
they went down the mountain
at a lower or further level or position on, in, or along
he ran down the street
downwards; at or to a lower level or position
don't fall down
(particle) used with many verbs when the result of the verb's action is to lower or destroy its object
pull down
knock down
bring down
(particle) used with several verbs to indicate intensity or completion
calm down
immediately
cash down
on paper
write this down
arranged; scheduled
the meeting is down for next week
in a helpless position
they had him down on the ground
away from a more important place
down from London
away from a more northerly place
down from Scotland
(of a member of some British universities) away from the university; on vacation
in a particular part of a country
down south
nautical (of a helm) having the rudder to windward
reduced to a state of lack or want
down to the last pound
lacking a specified amount
at the end of the day the cashier was ten pounds down
lower in price
bacon is down
including all intermediate terms, grades, people, etc
from managing director down to tea-lady
from an earlier to a later time
the heirloom was handed down
to a finer or more concentrated state
to grind down
boil down
sport being a specified number of points, goals, etc behind another competitor, team, etc
six goals down
(of a person) being inactive, owing to illness
down with flu
(functioning as imperative) (to dogs)
down Rover!
(functioning as imperative) wanting the end of somebody or something
down with the king!
to procure something, esp in advance of needs or in anticipation of someone else
(postpositive) depressed or miserable
(prenominal) of or relating to a train or trains from a more important place or one regarded as higher
the down line
(postpositive) (of a device, machine, etc, esp a computer) temporarily out of action
made in cash
a down payment
the responsibility or fault of
this defeat was down to me
informal
having a good understanding of
down with computers
in agreement with
completely down with that idea
enjoying mutual friendship and respect with
down with the kids
(tr) to knock, push or pull down
(intr) to go or come down
informal (tr) to drink, esp quickly
he downed three gins
(tr) to bring (someone) down, esp by tackling
American football one 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 )
informal to bear ill will towards (someone or something)
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
botany a 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
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)
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, etc See also Dorset Down
another name for Hampshire Down
First recorded before 1100; Middle English doune, Old English dūne, shortening of adūne for of dūne “off (the) hill”; see origin at a- 2, down 3
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”
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
The adverb down means "from a higher place to a lower one," like when a person climbs down a ladder or a waiter puts a tray full of cakes down on a table. Anything that moves lower — in height, location, or volume — is down, so you can travel down south, tell your dog to get down, or turn your loud music down. Down can also refer to a mood or condition; if you're feeling down, you're sad, and if your computer is down, it's not working. Another meaning of down is the soft feathers of a young bird, which is sometimes used to fill coats or comforters.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
AstraZeneca AZN -0.14%decrease; red down pointing triangle reported higher second-quarter revenue, driven by growth in oncology sales, and reiterated its 2030 revenue target after a clinical trial failure earlier this month.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
Doubling down on the tournament's safety, Infantino said there were "zero incidents, zero violence, just joy, emotions, happiness, unity, and togetherness".
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
"We're doing this to slow down the fire's advance; we want to save our homes," he told AFP.
From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026
The rupiah is among Asia’s worst-performing major currencies this year, down nearly 8% against the dollar, while the Jakarta Composite Index has fallen more than 28%, making it the region’s weakest-performing stock market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
The terrain, covered in frozen brush and grass, is rolling, sloping up and down, up and down.
From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Down a country lane on Ireland's west coast, a sign outside Europe's largest alumina refinery greets visitors in English, Irish -- and Russian.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
At Stansted, £10 buys a more generous 15 minutes, at "Express Set Down" outside departures.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Down the block, at Anita Gelato, an international chain founded in 1998 that now also has a devout fro-yo following, I encountered another line of people.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
Richards tosses off one indelible riff after another, making “Rocks Off,” “Happy,” “Tumbling Dice” and “All Down the Line” rock and roll perfection.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
Down at the Early Childhood Center, where Marion worked, the swings creaked gently to and fro, and the corkscrewed slide gleamed silver in the moonlight.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
Since, the team has had more downs than ups at the position, although it saw some flashes last season from rookie Oronde Gadsden II, a talented pass catcher.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Those extra years, Krishna argued to me in an interview last summer, give him insight into how tech cycles work—the ups and the downs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
"How long the dramatic improvement in relations will last is uncertain given the history of ups and downs" in ties, said Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan's former ambassador to Washington.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
People who have gone through ups and downs in relationships, struggles with family and figuring out who your real family is, not just by blood but who your chosen family is.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
After Permian took over on downs on its 41, he took the hand-off and had clear sailing on the right flank.
From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger
A third U.S. service member in Jordan is missing and presumed dead, and a fourth was killed during the detonation of a downed Iranian drone in Iraq on Saturday.
From Slate ● Jul. 20, 2026
Now, the Trump administration is facing a daunting multibillion-dollar cleanup after twin earthquakes last month tore open roads, downed power lines and flattened buildings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
Witnesses say the fire was caused by a downed power line, with the blaze spreading quickly to a nearby wooded area.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
Moscow vowed to respond, saying it downed almost 500 Ukrainian drones and 10 of Kyiv's Flamingo missiles overnight.
From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026
“Your argument doesn’t hold water at all, you sophist,” Miss Adebayo said, and dismissively downed what was in her glass.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The United States has also indicted former president Raul Castro, brother of revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, over the downing of two civilian planes three decades ago.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
Any renewed attacks would follow strikes by both the U.S. and Iran following the downing of a U.S. helicopter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026
But after the downing of the helicopter on Monday, Trump said in a telephone interview with ABC News that the United States was responding "in a strong manner".
From Barron's ● Jun. 10, 2026
Marines used the Marine Air Defense Integrated System in the Philippines to practice downing drones with cost-effective methods.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 30, 2026
All this compared to the forty-five seconds we spend downing bioloaf.
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
