downhill

American  

[doun-hil, doun-hil] / ˈdaʊnˈhɪl, ˈdaʊnˌhɪl /

adverb

1. down the slope of a hill; downward.

2. into a worse or inferior condition.

   The business has been going downhill.

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adjective

1. going or tending downward on or as on a hill.

2. free of problems or obstacles; easy.

   After the initial setbacks on the project, it was downhill all the way.

3. of or relating to skiing downhill.

noun

1. a timed ski race on a steep slope in which competitors take the most direct route to the finish line following a course with relatively few turns and attaining very high speeds.

downhill British  

/ ˈdaʊnˈhɪl /

adjective

1. going or sloping down

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adverb

1. towards the bottom of a hill; downwards

2. informal to decline; deteriorate

noun

1. the downward slope of a hill; descent

2. a competitive event in which skiers are timed in a downhill run

Etymology

Origin of downhill

First recorded in 1585–95; down ¹ + hill

Example Sentences

The American great was racing just nine days after rupturing ligaments in her left knee when she struck a gate 13 seconds into her downhill run in Cortina.

From BBC

They were still walking downhill, and the ground was becoming wetter underfoot.

From Literature

When American Breezy Johnson won gold in the women’s downhill Sunday, her technician, Ales Sopotnik, was nearby pulling for her — but avoided watching the large videoboard at the bottom of the run.

From Los Angeles Times

The US ski star was set up for a serious tilt at combined gold by a table-topping downhill time from her partner Breezy Johnson.

From Barron's

The event consists of pairs of teammates, one racing a downhill course, one racing a slalom, and simply adds their two times together.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• falling