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

See Examples For:

come down

Charles Rhodes, professor of law at the University of Missouri, told me the future of this lawsuit will likely come down to how the courts choose to define an “aggrieved” person.

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026

The key to victory for either Orange Lutheran or Sierra Canyon may come down to this matchup.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

Many beneficiary-designation errors come down to simple oversight.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026

This showdown between the Niners and the Rams would normally come down to a battle of wits between two of the game’s brightest coaches in Shanahan and Sean McVay.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

So there were only three experienced warriors who could fight a lion, plus the one elder who had come down with me.

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