count down

Idioms  

1. Count backward from any number to zero to indicate time, as in The final seconds before take off were counted down: 10, 9, 8, etc . The down in this term refers to the decreasing size of the numbers. This usage originated in connection with the firing of missiles and spacecraft and has since been broadened to such events as the roll call of states at a political convention. [c. 1950]

2. Make final preparations for an event, as in Hong Kong was counting down to the day when it became part of mainland China . This usage is derived from def. 1. [Late 1950s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

count down

Search for a song’s deeper meaning: Taylor Swift is expected to drop her new single, “Patient Zero,” early Friday morning, so let’s count down the hours with some speculation.

From Slate ● Sep. 24, 2026

As the exhibit’s days count down, the inspired visions from Kahlo, Rivera and their contemporaries continue to transfix visitors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

Workers at Butterfly Effect, an artificial-intelligence startup with Chinese roots, gathered in March to count down to the launch of a demo of a new AI-powered tool called Manus.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 31, 2025

The number of active U.S. oil rigs has fallen by 65 so far this year, with the weekly count down by six, to 414 rigs as of Oct.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 5, 2025

Here and there, parties have started to break out in the streets, and people decked out in red-and-blue jerseys count down the time at the top of their lungs.

From "Warcross" by Marie Lu

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