any of various ranges of low chalk hills in S England, esp the South Downs in Sussex
a roadstead off the SE coast of Kent, protected by the Goodwin Sands
Also called: downland. rolling upland, esp in the chalk areas of S Britain, characterized by lack of trees and used mainly as pasture
a flat grassy area, not necessarily of uplands
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Crews from East Sussex and West Sussex also tackled two fires in the South Downs National Park - one at Devil's Dyke and one near Eastbourne - overnight on Friday.
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
The joint project between the South Downs National Park Authority, conservation groups and landowners appears to have halted and reversed the dramatic decline.
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026
Paul W. Downs, “Hacks” “I still can’t believe Nick Offerman never picked up an Emmy nomination for playing breakfast-loving libertarian Ron Swanson on ‘Parks and Recreation.’
From Los Angeles Times ● May 20, 2026
And Nick Jensen’s distemper-and-oil canvases at Tara Downs feel like encountering a Degas in a dream, which begins to rapidly dissolve as we wake up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 14, 2026
From that moment, I understood Mrs. Downs and I had an unspoken agreement, a “don’t ask, don’t tell” pact that worked like a charm for both of us.
From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore
"Semiconductors are an industry with a lot of ups and downs," she said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 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
It reaches millions of devoted fans who tune in to hear the ups and downs experienced by the residents of the fictional village of Ambridge.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
By combining the two businesses, Carlisle could be looking to offset ups and downs in the respective sectors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
It was a round hill smooth and bare, standing by itself, the most northerly of the downs.
From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien
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.
