down-and-out

[ doun-uh nd-out, -uh n ]

/ ˈdaʊn əndˈaʊt, -ən /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR down-and-out ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

without any money, or means of support, or prospects; destitute; penniless.

without physical strength or stamina; disabled; incapacitated.

too physically weakened by repeated defeats to qualify as a competent professional boxer.

noun

Also down-and-out·er. a person who is down-and-out.

Nearby words

down to the wire, down under, down with, down's syndrome, down-and-dirty, down-and-out, down-at-heel, down-at-the-heels, down-ballot, down-bow, down-easter

Origin of down-and-out

An Americanism dating back to 1885–90

Definition for down and out (2 of 2)

down

[ doun ]

/ daʊn /

adverb

from higher to lower; in descending direction or order; toward, into, or in a lower position: to come down the ladder.

on or to the ground, floor, or bottom: He fell down.

to or in a sitting or lying position.

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.

to or at a lower value or rate.

to a lesser pitch or volume: Turn down the radio.

in or to a calmer, less active, or less prominent state: The wind died down.

from an earlier to a later time: from the 17th century down to the present.

from a greater to a lesser strength, amount, etc.: to water down liquor.

in an attitude of earnest application: to get down to work.

on paper or in a book: Write down the address.

in cash at the time of purchase; at once: We paid $50 down and $20 a month.

to the point of defeat, submission, inactivity, etc.: They shouted down the opposition.

in or into a fixed or supine position: They tied down the struggling animal.

to the source or actual position: The dogs tracked down the bear.

into a condition of ill health: He's come down with a cold.

in or into a lower status or condition: kept down by lack of education.

Nautical. toward the lee side, so as to turn a vessel to windward: Put the helm down!

Slang. on toast (as used in ordering a sandwich at a lunch counter or restaurant): Give me a tuna down.

preposition

in a descending or more remote direction or place on, over, or along: They ran off down the street.

adjective

downward; going or directed downward: the down escalator.

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

toward the south, a business district, etc.

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

downcast; depressed; dejected: You seem very down today.

ailing, especially, sick and bedridden: He's been down with a bad cold.

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.

Football. (of the ball) not in play.

Slang.

agreeing, supporting, or understanding: I'm totally down with that. He's down with those kids.
sophisticated or hip; cool: That music is down.

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.

Baseball. out.

losing or having lost the amount indicated, especially at gambling: After an hour at poker, he was down $10.

having placed one's bet: Are you down for the fourth race?

finished, done, considered, or taken care of: five down and one to go.

out of order: The computer has been down all day.

noun

a downward movement; descent.

a turn for the worse; reverse: The business cycle experienced a sudden down.

Football.

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

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

Slang. downer(defs 1a, b).

verb (used with object)

to put, knock, or throw down; subdue: He downed his opponent in the third round.

to drink down, especially quickly or in one gulp: to down a tankard of ale.

Informal. to defeat in a game or contest: The Mets downed the Dodgers in today's game.

to cause to fall from a height, especially by shooting: Antiaircraft guns downed ten bombers.

verb (used without object)

to go down; fall.

interjection

(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!

(used as a command or warning to duck, take cover, or the like): Down! They're starting to shoot!

Origin of down

before 1100; Middle English doune, Old English dūne, aphetic variant of adūne for of dūne off (the) hill; see a-², down³

Related forms

un·downed, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for down and out (1 of 6)

Down

/ (daʊn) /

noun

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

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)

British Dictionary definitions for down and out (2 of 6)

Down

/ (daʊn) /

noun

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, etcSee also Dorset Down

another name for Hampshire Down

British Dictionary definitions for down and out (3 of 6)

down-and-out

adjective

without any means of livelihood; impoverished and, often, socially outcast

noun

a person who is destitute and, often, homeless; a social outcast or derelict

British Dictionary definitions for down and out (4 of 6)

down

/ (daʊn) /

preposition

used to indicate movement from a higher to a lower positionthey went down the mountain

at a lower or further level or position on, in, or alonghe ran down the street

adverb

downwards; at or to a lower level or positiondon't fall down

(particle) used with many verbs when the result of the verb's action is to lower or destroy its objectpull down; knock down; bring down

(particle) used with several verbs to indicate intensity or completioncalm down

immediatelycash down

on paperwrite this down

arranged; scheduledthe meeting is down for next week

in a helpless positionthey had him down on the ground

away from a more important placedown from London
away from a more northerly placedown from Scotland
(of a member of some British universities) away from the university; on vacation
in a particular part of a countrydown south

nautical (of a helm) having the rudder to windward

reduced to a state of lack or wantdown to the last pound

lacking a specified amountat the end of the day the cashier was ten pounds down

lower in pricebacon is down

including all intermediate terms, grades, people, etcfrom managing director down to tea-lady

from an earlier to a later timethe heirloom was handed down

to a finer or more concentrated stateto grind down; boil down

sport being a specified number of points, goals, etc behind another competitor, team, etcsix goals down

(of a person) being inactive, owing to illnessdown with flu

(functioning as imperative) (to dogs)down Rover!

down with (functioning as imperative) wanting the end of somebody or somethingdown with the king!

get down on something Australian and NZ to procure something, esp in advance of needs or in anticipation of someone else

adjective

(postpositive) depressed or miserable

(prenominal) of or relating to a train or trains from a more important place or one regarded as higherthe down line

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

made in casha down payment

down to the responsibility or fault ofthis defeat was down to me

down with informal

having a good understanding ofdown with computers
in agreement withcompletely down with that idea
enjoying mutual friendship and respect withdown with the kids

verb

(tr) to knock, push or pull down

(intr) to go or come down

(tr) informal to drink, esp quicklyhe downed three gins

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

noun

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

a descent; downward movement

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

have a down on informal to bear ill will towards (someone or something)

Word Origin for down

Old English dūne, short for adūne, variant of of dūne, literally: from the hill, from of, off + dūn hill; see down 3

British Dictionary definitions for down and out (5 of 6)

down

/ (daʊn) /

noun

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

another name for eiderdown (def. 1)

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

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

Word Origin for down

C14: of Scandinavian origin; related to Old Norse dūnn

British Dictionary definitions for down and out (6 of 6)

down

/ (daʊn) /

noun

archaic a hill, esp a sand duneSee also downs (def. 1), Downs (def. 1)

Word Origin for down

Old English dūn; related to Old Frisian dūne, Old Saxon dūna hill, Old Irish dūn fortress, Greek this sandbank; see dune, town

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

Idioms and Phrases with down and out (1 of 2)

down and out

Lacking funds or prospects; destitute, penniless. For example, After losing his job, car, and home, he was completely down and out. This term probably originated in boxing, where it alludes to the fighter who is knocked down and stays down for a given time, thereby losing the bout. [c. 1900] Also see down for the count.

Idioms and Phrases with down and out (2 of 2)

down

In addition to the idioms beginning with down

down and dirty
down and out
down cold, have
down for the count
down in the dumps
down on
down one's alley
down one's neck
down one's nose
down on one's luck
down someone's throat
down the drain
down the hatch
down the line
down the pike
down the road
down the tubes
down to
down to earth
down to size
down to the ground
down to the wire
down with

also see:

back down
batten down the hatches
bear down
beat down
be 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

down-and-out

adjective

noun

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RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of down-and-out

Definition for down and out (2 of 2)

down

adverb

preposition

adjective

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

interjection

Origin of down

Related forms

British Dictionary definitions for down and out (1 of 6)

Down

noun

British Dictionary definitions for down and out (2 of 6)

Down

noun

British Dictionary definitions for down and out (3 of 6)

down-and-out

adjective

noun

British Dictionary definitions for down and out (4 of 6)

down

preposition

adverb

adjective

verb

noun

Word Origin for down

British Dictionary definitions for down and out (5 of 6)

down

noun

Word Origin for down

British Dictionary definitions for down and out (6 of 6)

down

noun

Word Origin for down

Idioms and Phrases with down and out (1 of 2)

down and out

Idioms and Phrases with down and out (2 of 2)

down