downer

[ dou-ner ]

/ ˈdaʊ nər /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR downer ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Informal.

a depressant or sedative drug, especially a barbiturate.
a depressing experience, person, or situation.

Animal Husbandry. an old or diseased animal, especially one that cannot stand up.

Words nearby downer

downcourt, downcurved, downcycle, downdraft, downdraught, downer, downers grove, downey, downey cell, downfall, downfallen

Origin of downer

1910–15, Americanism, for an earlier sense; 1965–70, for def 1; down¹ + -er¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Examples from the Web for downer

France does not like to see it described as an AIDS documentary, which inevitably sounds like something of a downer.
New Documentary ‘How to Survive a Plague’ Details ACT UP’s Heroic Role in AIDS Battle|Stephen Farber|September 26, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Few political watchers thought Romney would wrap anything up Tuesday, but the returns must still have come as a bit of a downer.
Super Tuesday: Mitt Romney’s Senior Citizen Surge|Michelle Cottle|March 7, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Seemingly, some of the cast members learned how to spot the STD, which appears to be quite the downer.
The Real Jersey Dictionary, Vol. 2|Jaimie Etkin|October 21, 2010|DAILY BEAST
That's not to send a message that next season's going to be a downer, because it won't be.
Big Love's Big Finale|Jace Lacob|March 7, 2010|DAILY BEAST

It has led, a downer for us frequent fliers, to yet another James Patterson bestseller.
Do I Have to Read James Patterson?|William Boot|January 2, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Downer's Cleaning and Polishing Oil for bright metals, is the oldest and best in the market.
Scientific American, Volume XLIII., No. 25, December 18, 1880|Various
Make him lively, cook him; tell him who taught you; a downer to him, and I'll marry you to-morrow!'
The Adventures of Harry Richmond, Complete|George Meredith
Here was a great mortgage on the Downer farm, that the Eastmans had partly cut into city lots.
Hope Mills|Amanda M. Douglas
Last fall I potted some of the Downer, and in the winter grew them in the house.
Locusts and Wild Honey|John Burroughs
Some berries shine, the Downer glows as if there were a red bloom upon it.
Locusts and Wild Honey|John Burroughs

British Dictionary definitions for downer

downer

/ (ˈdaʊnə) /

noun slang

Also called: down a barbiturate, tranquillizer, or narcoticCompare upper

a depressing experience

a state of depressionhe's on a downer today

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

Medical definitions for downer

downer

[ dou′nər ]

n.

A depressant or sedative drug, such as a barbiturate or tranquilizer.

downer

noun

Words related to downer

Words nearby downer

Origin of downer

Examples from the Web for downer

British Dictionary definitions for downer

noun slang

Medical definitions for downer

n.