Downing

[ dou-ning ]

/ ˈdaʊ nɪŋ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR Downing ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

Andrew Jackson,1815–52, U.S. landscape architect.

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 formsun·downed, adjective

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

Examples from the Web for downing

Rather than downing a handful of pills, I planned to take my life by opening a vein in each wrist.
Dear Leelah, We Will Fight On For You: A Letter to a Dead Trans Teen|Parker Molloy|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The 1983 downing of KAL 007 sharpened American tensions with the Soviet Union to heights not seen since the Cuban missile crisis.
The Intern Who Birthed The KAL007 Conspiracy Theories|Tim Mak|September 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Kremlin blames Strelkov for the downing of the jet—a propaganda disaster for Russia.
Shakeup In the Ukraine Rebel High Command|Jamie Dettmer|August 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Several leaders of the rebellion are out, possibly because of the downing of MH17.
Shakeup In the Ukraine Rebel High Command|Jamie Dettmer|August 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Yeah,” he says finally, squelching his giggles by downing half a bottle of Bud, “that sounds like Ray.
The Stacks: The Judas Priest Teen Suicide Trial|Ivan Solotaroff|June 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Now in Dublin one allows a certain latitude, but in Downing Street!
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 146, February 11, 1914|Various
Meanwhile the night advanced; the stars were paling away in the celestial depths, and the moon "downing."
The Treasure of Pearls|Gustave Aimard
It does not matter what the colonial newspapers say, it is 'what will they say in Downing Street?'
Expositions of Holy Scripture|Alexander Maclaren
Immediately on the appearance of the above a long queue formed in Downing Street.
Punch, Volume 156, January 22, 1919.|Various
Above all, Downing Street is the surviving symbol of the era of the British 'dominions' and the real 'colonies.'
British Socialism|J. Ellis Barker

British Dictionary definitions for downing

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)

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

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

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

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

Word Origin and History for downing

down

adv.

late Old English shortened form of Old English ofdune "downwards," from dune "from the hill," dative of dun "hill" (see down (n.2)). A sense development peculiar to English.

Used as a preposition since c.1500. Sense of "depressed mentally" is attested from c.1600. Slang sense of "aware, wide awake" is attested from 1812. Computer crash sense is from 1965. As a preposition from late 14c.; as an adjective from 1560s. Down-and-out is from 1889, American English, from situation of a beaten prizefighter. Down home (adj.) is 1931, American English; down the hatch as a toast is from 1931; down to the wire is 1901, from horse-racing. Down time is from 1952. Down under "Australia and New Zealand" attested from 1886; Down East "Maine" is from 1825.

down

n.1

"soft feathers," late 14c., from Old Norse dunn, perhaps ultimately from PIE root *dheu- (1) "to fly about (like dust), to rise in a cloud."

down

n.2

Old English dun "down, moor; height, hill, mountain," from Proto-Germanic *dunaz- (cf. Middle Dutch dunen "sandy hill," Dutch duin, "probably a pre-insular loan-word from Celtic" [Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names], in other words, borrowed at a very early period, before the Anglo-Saxon migration.

The non-English Germanic words tend to mean "dune, sand bank" (cf. dune), while the Celtic cognates tend to mean "hill, citadel" (cf. Old Irish dun "hill, hill fort;" Welsh din "fortress, hill fort;" and second element in place names London, Verdun, etc.).

From PIE root *dheue- "to close, finish, come full circle." Meaning "elevated rolling grassland" is from c.1300. German Düne, French dune, Italian, Spanish duna are said to be loan-words from Dutch.

down

1560s, from down (adv.). Related: Downed; downing.

Idioms and Phrases with downing

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

Downing

noun

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RELATED WORDS

down

adverb

preposition

adjective

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verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

interjection

Origin of down

Examples from the Web for downing

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