Downing Street

noun

1. a street in W central London, England: cabinet office; residence of the prime minister.

2. the British prime minister and cabinet.

Downing Street

/ ˈdaʊnɪŋ /

noun

1. a street in W central London, in Westminster: official residences of the British prime minister and the chancellor of the exchequer

2. informal,  the prime minister or the British Government

Word History and Origins

Origin of Downing Street¹

named after Sir George Downing (1623–84), English statesman

Example Sentences

Downing Street has denied Rachel Reeves misled the public about the state of the public finances in the run-up to this week's Budget.

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Reeves is being urged not to raise taxes on drivers overall, with campaigners preparing to deliver a petition to Downing Street early next week which calls for fuel duty, long frozen, not to be increased.

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Downing Street has already shown it is willing to ditch plans that could save lots of money if the rank and file kick off vigorously enough.

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When he was taken into custody, Margaret Thatcher was in Downing Street, no one had heard of the internet and Europe was still divided by the Iron Curtain.

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Hancock, who was in charge of the health department through much of the pandemic, developed a reputation in Downing Street for "overpromising and underdelivering," she added.

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