Advertisement

View synonyms for descend

descend

[dih-send]

verb (used without object)

  1. to go or pass from a higher to a lower place; move or come down.

    to descend from the mountaintop.

  2. to pass from higher to lower in any scale or series.

  3. to go from generals to particulars, as in a discussion.

  4. to slope, tend, or lead downward.

    The path descends to the pond.

  5. to be inherited or transmitted, as through succeeding generations of a family.

    The title descends through eldest sons.

  6. to have a specific person or family among one's ancestors (usually followed byfrom ).

    He is descended from Cromwell.

  7. to be derived from something remote in time, especially through continuous transmission.

    This festival descends from a druidic rite.

  8. to approach or pounce upon, especially in a greedy or hasty manner (followed by on orupon ).

    Thrill-seekers descended upon the scene of the crime.

  9. to settle, as a cloud or vapor.

  10. to appear or become manifest, as a supernatural being, state of mind, etc..

    Jupiter descended to humankind.

  11. to attack, especially with violence and suddenness (usually followed by on orupon ).

    to descend upon enemy soldiers.

  12. to sink or come down from a certain intellectual, moral, or social standard.

    He would never descend to baseness.

  13. Astronomy.,  to move toward the horizon, as the sun or a star.



verb (used with object)

  1. to move downward upon or along; go or climb down (stairs, a hill, etc.).

  2. to extend or lead down along.

    The path descends the hill.

descend

/ dɪˈsɛnd /

verb

  1. (also tr) to move, pass, or go down (a hill, slope, staircase, etc)

  2. (of a hill, slope, or path) to lead or extend down; slope; incline

  3. to move to a lower level, pitch, etc; fall

  4. (often foll by from) to be connected by a blood relationship (to a dead or extinct individual, race, species, etc)

  5. to be passed on by parents or ancestors; be inherited

  6. to sink or come down in morals or behaviour; lower oneself

  7. to arrive or attack in a sudden or overwhelming way

    their relatives descended upon them last week

  8. (of the sun, moon, etc) to move towards the horizon

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

Other Word Forms

  • descendingly adverb
  • predescend verb
  • redescend verb
  • undescending adjective
  • descendable adjective
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of descend1

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English descenden, from Old French descendre, from Latin dēscendere, equivalent to dē- de- + -scendere, combining form of scandere “to climb”; scansion
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of descend1

C13: from Old French descendre, from Latin dēscendere, from de- + scandere to climb; see scan
Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

What Bowl residents have seen is the corps descend on other Palisades properties — clearing burned-out cars, piles of rubble and charred trees from single-family homes as well as the Tahitian — while leaving the Bowl untouched.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Diplomats and official delegations had descended on the Red Sea resort town in recent days to negotiate a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.

Read more on Barron's

On a Tuesday in late August, the BBC watched as a dozen officers waiting outside a courtroom descended on a man, two women and a small boy.

Read more on BBC

In short, each Red Delicious directly descends, graft by graft, from the first-ever Red Delicious.

Universities could face sanctions if pro-Palestinian protests descend into harassment and discrimination against Jewish students on campus, the free speech director at the watchdog for higher education in England has said.

Read more on BBC

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


Descartes' lawdescendant