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.
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; not functioning.
The computer has been down all day.
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.
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.
(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!
down cold / pat, mastered or learned perfectly.
Another hour of studying and I'll have the math lesson down cold.
down and out, down-and-out.
down with!
away with! cease!.
Down with tyranny!
on or toward the ground or into a lower position.
Down with your rifles!
down on, hostile or averse to.
Why are you so down on sports?
down in the mouth, discouraged; depressed; sad.
the soft, first plumage of many young birds.
the soft under plumage of birds as distinct from the contour feathers.
the under plumage of some birds, as geese and ducks, used for filling in quilts, clothing, etc., chiefly for warmth.
a growth of soft, fine hair or the like.
Botany.
a fine, soft pubescence on plants and some fruits.
the light, feathery pappus or coma on seeds by which they are borne on the wind, as on the dandelion and thistle.
Often downs. (used especially in southern England) open, rolling, upland country with fairly smooth slopes usually covered with grass.
(initial capital letter) any sheep of several breeds, raised originally in the downs of southern England, as the Southdown, Suffolk, etc.
Archaic. a hill, especially a sand hill or dune.
a county in SW Northern Ireland. 952 sq. mi. (2,466 sq. km). Downpatrick.
an administrative district in this county. 253 sq. mi. (654 sq. km).
used to indicate movement from a higher to a lower position
they went down the mountain
at a lower or further level or position on, in, or along
he ran down the street
downwards; at or to a lower level or position
don't fall down
(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
(particle) used with several verbs to indicate intensity or completion
calm down
immediately
cash down
on paper
write this down
arranged; scheduled
the meeting is down for next week
in a helpless position
they had him down on the ground
away from a more important place
down from London
away from a more northerly place
down from Scotland
(of a member of some British universities) away from the university; on vacation
in a particular part of a country
down south
nautical (of a helm) having the rudder to windward
reduced to a state of lack or want
down to the last pound
lacking a specified amount
at the end of the day the cashier was ten pounds down
lower in price
bacon is down
including all intermediate terms, grades, people, etc
from managing director down to tea-lady
from an earlier to a later time
the heirloom was handed down
to a finer or more concentrated state
to grind down
boil down
sport being a specified number of points, goals, etc behind another competitor, team, etc
six goals down
(of a person) being inactive, owing to illness
down with flu
(functioning as imperative) (to dogs)
down Rover!
(functioning as imperative) wanting the end of somebody or something
down with the king!
to procure something, esp in advance of needs or in anticipation of someone else
(postpositive) depressed or miserable
(prenominal) of or relating to a train or trains from a more important place or one regarded as higher
the down line
(postpositive) (of a device, machine, etc, esp a computer) temporarily out of action
made in cash
a down payment
the responsibility or fault of
this defeat was down to me
informal
having a good understanding of
down with computers
in agreement with
completely down with that idea
enjoying mutual friendship and respect with
down with the kids
(tr) to knock, push or pull down
(intr) to go or come down
informal (tr) to drink, esp quickly
he downed three gins
(tr) to bring (someone) down, esp by tackling
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 )
informal to bear ill will towards (someone or something)
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
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
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)
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
another name for Hampshire Down
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
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”
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
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.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
With semiconductor volatility reading at current levels, a trading down of another 10% in the SMH ETF could still be considered just mean reversion after such a sharp run-up.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
It’s not enough for a film to explain its meaning; it must also say something about that message and its broader significance to stare down the “classic” label.
From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026
At the conclusion of the hearing on Wednesday, Mr Justice Mould said he would hand down his judgement at a later date.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
Refinery capacity use slipped to 96.1% from 96.2% the week before, with crude input to refineries down by 58,000 barrels a day at 17.1 million barrels a day.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
When I get down to the basement, Grandma has everything set up like last time: a large cloth for us to sit on, essential oils and candles throughout the room.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
"Down there it's always dark, there's no outside world, no sun," he tells AFP.
From Barron's ● Jul. 17, 2026
Down on our planet’s surface, a would-be global catastrophe—potentially knocking out entire electrical grids—is reduced to a nighttime display for anyone who cares to look up and see the Northern Lights.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Richards tosses off one indelible riff after another, making “Rocks Off,” “Happy,” “Tumbling Dice” and “All Down the Line” rock and roll perfection.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
A gripping narrative that might change how you see alligators: Down in the manicured exurbs of Florida, what happens when someone spots an alligator next to their pool?
From Slate ● Jul. 9, 2026
Down the side streets that led to the square we saw the square solid with people, those in the centre all dancing.
From "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway
Those extra years, Krishna argued to me in an interview last summer, give him insight into how tech cycles work—the ups and the downs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
"Semiconductors are an industry with a lot of ups and downs," she said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
People who have gone through ups and downs in relationships, struggles with family and figuring out who your real family is, not just by blood but who your chosen family is.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
The former Conservative leader magnanimously offered the understated reflection that he and her had their "ups and downs" - but had made up.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
When he came out of Hang Wood, he would go across the scrub, and then west, into open farmland, and over the first of the downs.
From "I'm the King of the Castle" by Susan Hill
And another U.S. servicemember was killed this weekend during the controlled detonation of a downed Iranian attack drone in Northern Iraq.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
A third U.S. service member in Jordan is missing and presumed dead, and a fourth was killed during the detonation of a downed Iranian drone in Iraq on Saturday.
From Slate ● Jul. 20, 2026
Witnesses say the fire was caused by a downed power line, with the blaze spreading quickly to a nearby wooded area.
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
Moscow vowed to respond, saying it downed almost 500 Ukrainian drones and 10 of Kyiv's Flamingo missiles overnight.
From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026
She stared at the foam for a minute, and then downed the second half.
From "George" by Alex Gino
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
JC: Think about it: The world of sports has entered a bizarre new dimension, one in which formerly sad-sack teams are now the ones downing champagne and getting showered in confetti.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026
Brent crude oil prices rose 3% after the U.S. said it struck Iranian air-defense sites in response to Tehran’s downing of an American drone.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 1, 2026
The United States condemned the downing and then-president Bill Clinton signed a tough new law called the Helms-Burton Act which tightened sanctions against Cuba.
From Barron's ● May 21, 2026
I can picture all of this: three generations of laughing Theos, downing mugs of coffee and biscuits, storming out garrulously into the dawn, wearing wool hunting hats and surrounded by baleful golden retrievers.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
