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• down
  down

  adverb

  from higher to lower; in descending direction or order; toward, into, or in a lower position.
• Down
  Down

  noun

  a county in SW Northern Ireland. 952 sq. mi. (2,466 sq. km). Downpatrick.

down

¹ American  

[doun] / daʊn /

adverb

1. from higher to lower; in descending direction or order; toward, into, or in a lower position.

   to come down the ladder.

2. on or to the ground, floor, or bottom.

   He fell down.

3. to or in a sitting or lying position.

4. to or in a position, area, or district considered lower, especially from a geographical or cartographic standpoint, as to the south, a business district, etc..

   We drove from San Francisco down to Los Angeles.

5. to or at a lower value or rate.

6. to a lesser pitch or volume.

   Turn down the radio.

7. in or to a calmer, less active, or less prominent state.

   The wind died down.

8. from an earlier to a later time.

   from the 17th century down to the present.

9. from a greater to a lesser strength, amount, etc..

   to water down liquor.

10. in an attitude of earnest application.

    to get down to work.

11. on paper or in a book.

    Write down the address.

12. in cash at the time of purchase; at once.

    We paid $50 down and $20 a month.

13. to the point of defeat, submission, inactivity, etc..

    They shouted down the opposition.

14. in or into a fixed or supine position.

    They tied down the struggling animal.

15. to the source or actual position.

    The dogs tracked down the bear.

16. into a condition of ill health.

    He's come down with a cold.

17. in or into a lower status or condition.

    kept down by lack of education.

18. Nautical. toward the lee side, so as to turn a vessel to windward.

    Put the helm down!

19. Slang. on toast (as used in ordering a sandwich at a lunch counter or restaurant).

    Give me a tuna down.

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preposition

1. in a descending or more remote direction or place on, over, or along.

   They ran off down the street.

adjective

1. downward; going or directed downward.

   the down escalator.

2. being at a low position or on the ground, floor, or bottom.

3. toward the south, a business district, etc.

4. associated with or serving traffic, transportation, or the like, directed toward the south, a business district, etc..

   the down platform.

5. downcast; depressed; dejected.

   You seem very down today.

6. ailing, especially, sick and bedridden.

   He's been down with a bad cold.

7. being the portion of the full price, as of an article bought on the installment plan, that is paid at the time of purchase or delivery.

   a payment of $200 down.

8. Football. (of the ball) not in play.

9. Slang.

   1. agreeing, supporting, or understanding.

      I'm totally down with that.

      He's down with those kids.

   2. sophisticated or hip; cool.

      That music is down.

10. behind an opponent or opponents in points, games, etc..

    The team won the pennant despite having been down three games in the final week of play.

11. Baseball. out.

12. losing or having lost the amount indicated, especially at gambling.

    After an hour at poker, he was down $10.

13. having placed one's bet.

    Are you down for the fourth race?

14. finished, done, considered, or taken care of.

    five down and one to go.

15. out of order; not functioning.

    The computer has been down all day.

noun

1. a downward movement; descent.

2. a turn for the worse; reverse.

   The business cycle experienced a sudden down.

3. Football.

   1. one of a series of four plays during which a team must advance the ball at least 10 yards (9 meters) to keep possession of it.

   2. the declaring of the ball as down or out of play, or the play immediately preceding this.

4. Slang. an order of toast at a lunch counter or restaurant.

5. Slang. downer.

verb (used with object)

• downs,
  present (3rd person singular)
• downed,
  past participle,  past
• downing
  present participle

1. to put, knock, or throw down; subdue.

   He downed his opponent in the third round.

2. to drink down, especially quickly or in one gulp.

   to down a tankard of ale.

3. Informal. to defeat in a game or contest.

   The Mets downed the Dodgers in today's game.

4. to cause to fall from a height, especially by shooting.

   Antiaircraft guns downed ten bombers.

verb (used without object)

• downs,
  present (3rd person singular)
• downed,
  past participle,  past
• downing
  present participle

1. to go down; fall.

interjection

1. (used as a command to a dog to stop attacking, to stop jumping on someone, to get off a couch or chair, etc.).

   Down, Rover!

2. (used as a command or warning to duck, take cover, or the like).

   Down! They're starting to shoot!

idioms

1. down cold / pat, mastered or learned perfectly.

   Another hour of studying and I'll have the math lesson down cold.

2. down and out, down-and-out.

3. down with!

   1. away with! cease!.

      Down with tyranny!

   2. on or toward the ground or into a lower position.

      Down with your rifles!

4. down on, hostile or averse to.

   Why are you so down on sports?

5. down in the mouth, discouraged; depressed; sad.

down ² American  

[doun] / daʊn /

noun

1. the soft, first plumage of many young birds.

2. the soft under plumage of birds as distinct from the contour feathers.

3. the under plumage of some birds, as geese and ducks, used for filling in quilts, clothing, etc., chiefly for warmth.

4. a growth of soft, fine hair or the like.

5. Botany.

   1. a fine, soft pubescence on plants and some fruits.

   2. the light, feathery pappus or coma on seeds by which they are borne on the wind, as on the dandelion and thistle.

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adjective

1. filled with down.

   a down jacket.

down ³ American  

[doun] / daʊn /

noun

1. Often downs. (used especially in southern England) open, rolling, upland country with fairly smooth slopes usually covered with grass.

2. (initial capital letter) any sheep of several breeds, raised originally in the downs of southern England, as the Southdown, Suffolk, etc.

3. Archaic. a hill, especially a sand hill or dune.

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Down ⁴ American  

[doun] / daʊn /

noun

1. a county in SW Northern Ireland. 952 sq. mi. (2,466 sq. km). Downpatrick.

2. an administrative district in this county. 253 sq. mi. (654 sq. km).

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down ¹ British  

/ daʊn /

preposition

1. used to indicate movement from a higher to a lower position

   they went down the mountain

2. at a lower or further level or position on, in, or along

   he ran down the street

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adverb

1. downwards; at or to a lower level or position

   don't fall down

2. (particle) used with many verbs when the result of the verb's action is to lower or destroy its object

   pull down

   knock down

   bring down

3. (particle) used with several verbs to indicate intensity or completion

   calm down

4. immediately

   cash down

5. on paper

   write this down

6. arranged; scheduled

   the meeting is down for next week

7. in a helpless position

   they had him down on the ground

8. 1. away from a more important place

      down from London

   2. away from a more northerly place

      down from Scotland

   3. (of a member of some British universities) away from the university; on vacation

   4. in a particular part of a country

      down south

9. nautical (of a helm) having the rudder to windward

10. reduced to a state of lack or want

    down to the last pound

11. lacking a specified amount

    at the end of the day the cashier was ten pounds down

12. lower in price

    bacon is down

13. including all intermediate terms, grades, people, etc

    from managing director down to tea-lady

14. from an earlier to a later time

    the heirloom was handed down

15. to a finer or more concentrated state

    to grind down

    boil down

16. sport being a specified number of points, goals, etc behind another competitor, team, etc

    six goals down

17. (of a person) being inactive, owing to illness

    down with flu

18. (functioning as imperative) (to dogs)

    down Rover!

19. (functioning as imperative) wanting the end of somebody or something

    down with the king!

20. to procure something, esp in advance of needs or in anticipation of someone else

adjective

1. (postpositive) depressed or miserable

2. (prenominal) of or relating to a train or trains from a more important place or one regarded as higher

   the down line

3. (postpositive) (of a device, machine, etc, esp a computer) temporarily out of action

4. made in cash

   a down payment

5. the responsibility or fault of

   this defeat was down to me

6. informal

   1. having a good understanding of

      down with computers

   2. in agreement with

      completely down with that idea

   3. enjoying mutual friendship and respect with

      down with the kids

verb

1. (tr) to knock, push or pull down

2. (intr) to go or come down

3. informal (tr) to drink, esp quickly

   he downed three gins

4. (tr) to bring (someone) down, esp by tackling

noun

1. American football one of a maximum of four consecutive attempts by one team to advance the ball a total of at least ten yards

2. a descent; downward movement

3. a lowering or a poor period (esp in the phrase ups and downs )

4. informal to bear ill will towards (someone or something)

down ² British  

/ daʊn /

noun

1. the soft fine feathers with free barbs that cover the body of a bird and prevent loss of heat. In the adult they lie beneath and between the contour feathers

2. another name for eiderdown

3. botany a fine coating of soft hairs, as on certain leaves, fruits, and seeds

4. any growth or coating of soft fine hair, such as that on the human face

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Down ³ British  

/ daʊn /

noun

1. a district of SE Northern Ireland, in Co Down. Pop: 65 195 (2003 est). Area: 649 sq km (250 sq miles)

2. a historical county of SE Northern Ireland, on the Irish Sea: generally hilly, rising to the Mountains of Mourne: in 1973 it was replaced for administrative purposes by the districts of Ards, Banbridge, Castlereagh, Down, Newry and Mourne, North Down, and part of Lisburn. Area: 2466 sq km (952 sq miles)

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Down ⁴ British  

/ daʊn /

noun

1. any of various lowland breeds of sheep, typically of stocky build and having dense close wool, originating from various parts of southern England, such as Oxford, Hampshire, etc See also Dorset Down

2. another name for Hampshire Down

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down ⁵ British  

/ daʊn /

noun

1. archaic a hill, esp a sand dune See also downs Downs

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down More Idioms  

More idioms and phrases containing down

• back down
• batten down the hatches
• be down
• bear down
• beat down
• belt down
• bog down
• boil down to
• break down
• breathe down one's neck
• bring down
• bring down the house
• buckle down
• build down
• burn down
• call down
• cast down
• caught with one's pants down
• chow down
• clamp down
• close down
• come down
• come down on
• come down to
• come down with
• cool down
• cool off (down)
• count down
• crack down
• cut down
• deep down
• die away (down)
• dig down
• draw down
• dressing down
• face down
• fall down
• flag down to
• get down to brass tacks
• go down (downhill)
• go down the line
• hand down
• hands down
• hold down
• it's all downhill
• jump down someone's throat
• keep down
• knock back (down)
• knock down with a feather
• knuckle down
• lay down
• lay down the law
• lead down the garden path
• let down easy
• let one's hair down
• let someone down
• let the side down
• lie down (on the job)
• live down
• look down on
• lowdown, get the
• mark down
• mow down
• nail down
• pin down
• pipe down
• play down
• plunk down
• pull down
• put down
• put down roots
• put one's foot down
• ram down someone's throat
• ring down the curtain
• rub down
• run down
• scale down
• sell down the river
• send down
• set down
• settle down
• shake down
• shoot down
• shout down
• shut down
• simmer down
• sit down
• slap down
• slow down
• splash down
• stand down
• stare down
• step down
• strike down
• suit down to the ground
• take down
• take down a notch
• take lying down
• talk down to
• tear down
• the lowdown on
• throw down the gauntlet
• thumbs up (down)
• tie down
• tone down
• touch down
• track down
• trade down
• turn down
• turn upside down
• ups and downs
• vote down
• wash down
• water down
• wear down
• weigh down
• when it comes (down) to
• when the chips are down
• wind down
• write down

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• downless
  adjective
• downlike
  adjective
• undowned
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• downing
  present
• downed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• down
  simple
• downs
  simple
• have downed
  perfect
• has downed
  perfect
• am downing
  progressive
• are downing
  progressive
• is downing
  progressive
• have been downing
  perfect progressive
• has been downing
  perfect progressive

Past

• downed
  simple
• had downed
  perfect
• was downing
  progressive
• were downing
  progressive
• had been downing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will down
  simple
• will have downed
  perfect
• will be downing
  progressive
• will have been downing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of down¹

First recorded before 1100; Middle English doune, Old English dūne, shortening of adūne for of dūne “off (the) hill”; see origin at a- ², down ³

Origin of down²

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English downe, from Old Norse dūnn; akin to Sanskrit dhūmá- “smoke,” Greek thȳmós “soul, breath, spirit,” Latin fūmus “smoke,” Lithuanian dū́mai “smoke,” Slavic (Polish) dym “smoke”

Origin of down³

First recorded before 1000; Middle English dun, dune “hill, elevation,” Old English dūn “mountain, hill, down”; cognate with Dutch duin “mound, dune,” akin to Irish, Old Irish dún “citadel, fortress”; see origin at dune, town

Explanation

The adverb down means "from a higher place to a lower one," like when a person climbs down a ladder or a waiter puts a tray full of cakes down on a table. Anything that moves lower — in height, location, or volume — is down, so you can travel down south, tell your dog to get down, or turn your loud music down. Down can also refer to a mood or condition; if you're feeling down, you're sad, and if your computer is down, it's not working. Another meaning of down is the soft feathers of a young bird, which is sometimes used to fill coats or comforters.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

down Down downs downed downing

As violence was starting to subsume Costa Rica, in 2022, Rodrigo Chaves stepped into the presidency and made cracking down on crime the centerpiece of his administration.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026

Twenty-seven years earlier, she had turned up, uninvited, and laid down 1,500 mirror balls on the ground.

From BBC ● Aug. 27, 2026

Industry estimates suggest the sector employs around 30,000 people, down sharply from hundreds of thousands three decades ago.

From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026

District Judge David Hittner on Tuesday cited the late artist in his decision to strike down Senate Bill 12, a 2023 law that sought to restrict drag shows.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026

Cynthia has conflicted feelings about her mother—she understands that Joey was forced down an unexpected path because of her illness, but she also feels abandoned, and sorrowful that they lived separate lives.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

The only redeeming aspect of the show happens here, on a ski slope, when their youngest daughter Valentina, who was born with Down syndrome, is treated to a lesson via an adaptive ski school.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2026

Concerts by Western acts were not uncommon before Russia's invasion of Ukraine - with artists like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Lana Del Rey, Muse and System of a Down visiting the country.

From BBC ● Aug. 18, 2026

Tokyo on Wednesday played down comments by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about melons gifted to him by his Japanese counterpart that have triggered a row Down Under, stressing the leaders' good relationship.

From Barron's ● Aug. 12, 2026

Down the coast in Alicante, the monuments wait for their flame.

From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2026

Down the rows of snowy-white and dappled-brown chickens he walked, yet not a creature stirred; one would think nothing unusual had ever happened in this chicken coop in the entire history of chickens.

From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood

Detroit’s automakers have responded to tariff ups and downs by planning to onshore production of certain vehicles and parts to the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

Nine out of 10 of the most popular stocks for hedge funds are megacap tech companies and the ups and downs of the AI sector still drive their performance, their leverage and their positioning.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 21, 2026

Through years of typical relationship ups and downs, our attraction to each other has hardly wavered.

From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026

Through the ups and downs of the season, Tucker still came out of it with a 2025 Silver Slugger award.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

After Permian took over on downs on its 41, he took the hand-off and had clear sailing on the right flank.

From "Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team, And A Dream" by H.G. Bissinger

Spokesman Majed Al Ansari said on social media that Qatar sent search-and-rescue teams to look for the crew members after their planes were downed and found the remains of one of the pilots.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

In June, French fighter jets deployed to NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission also shot down a drone in Latvia, marking the first time the alliance's rapid-reaction force has downed a stray drone over the country.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

Residents were urged to shelter in place due to downed power lines and other hazards.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

During the operation, the Houthis downed more than a half-dozen U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 25, 2026

Telephone poles were snapped in two, and downed power lines covered everything in a tangle of black silly string.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

The United States has also indicted former president Raul Castro, brother of the late revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, over the downing of two civilian planes three decades ago.

From Barron's ● Aug. 2, 2026

The United States has also indicted former president Raul Castro, brother of revolutionary leader Fidel Castro, over the downing of two civilian planes three decades ago.

From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026

On Tuesday and Wednesday night, US and Iranian forces exchanged fresh waves of strikes following the downing of a US helicopter in the Gulf.

From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026

The actions this week come as the two countries renewed strikes on each other’s forces after the downing of an American Apache helicopter that the U.S. attributed to an Iranian drone.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026

All this compared to the forty-five seconds we spend downing bioloaf.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

Related Words

• low
• off