come down

Idioms  

1. Lose wealth or position, as in After the market crashed, the Tates really came down in the world . A 1382 translation of the Bible by followers of John Wycliffe had this term: “Come down from glory, sit in thirst” (Jeremiah 48:18).

2. Become reduced in size or amount, be lowered, as in Interest rates will have to come down before the economy recovers . [Mid-1600s]

3. Be handed down by inheritance, tradition, or a higher authority. For example, This painting has come down to us from our great-grandparents , or These stories have come down through the generations , or An indictment finally came down . [c. 1400]

4. Also, go down . Happen, occur, as in What's coming down tonight? [ Slang ; 1960s]

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Example Sentences

The motoring group said prices could start to come down over the next couple of weeks.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

It was supposed to come down after the first year, but has cemented its legacy in the years since.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

“This story will come down to executing on a well understood and bullish forecast and we think the narrative is shifting more toward Optics where it belongs,” O’Malley wrote in a research note.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

A rule of thumb on an oil shock applies here: gas prices shoot up quickly, but come down slowly.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

But four days later he called and asked me if I could come down to Nairobi for an interview.

From "Facing the Lion" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton and Herman Viola