down 1
(doun)adv.1. a. From a higher to a lower place or position: hiked down from the peak.
b. Toward, to, or on the ground, floor, or bottom: tripped and fell down.
c. Downstairs: Let's go down and get some breakfast.
d. In or into a sitting, kneeling, or reclining position: knelt down; lying down.
e. In or into one's stomach: had trouble keeping his food down; washed down the pizza with soda.
f. In writing or a record: The reporter wrote the statement down. He's down as the best goal-scorer of his time.
g. In partial payment at the time of purchase: put $250 down on the new refrigerator.
h. Into or toward a secure position: nailed down the boards; bolted the furniture down.
2. a. Toward or in the south; southward: flew down to Florida.
b. Away from a place considered central or a center of activity, such as a city or town: down on the farm; sent down to work at the firm's regional office.
c. To a specific location or source: tracking a rumor down.
3. a. Toward or at a low or lower point on a scale: from the biggest down to the smallest.
b. From earlier times or people: tradition handed down from one generation to the next.
4. a. To or at a lower intensity or amount: turned the volume down; prices going down.
b. To or in a reduced or concentrated form: pared the term paper down to five pages.
c. To or in a quiescent or subdued state: calmed down.
d. In or into an inactive or inoperative state: The generators went down at midnight.
e. To or into a lower or inferior condition, as of subjection, defeat, or disgrace: people kept down for decades.
5. a. To an extreme degree; heavily: worn down by worry.
b. Seriously or vigorously: get down to the project at hand.
adj.1. a. Moving or directed downward: a down elevator.
b. Low or lower: Stock prices were down today.
c. Reduced; diminished: The wind is down.
d. Sports & Games Trailing an opponent: a team down 20 points in the last quarter; down two pawns in chess.
2. a. Afflicted; sick: She's down with a bad cold.
b. Malfunctioning or not operating, especially temporarily: The computer is down.
c. Low in spirits; depressed: feeling down today.
3. Football a. Not in play and at the place where offensive forward progress has stopped: The ball is down on the 50-yard line.
b. Not permitted to advance further in the play because forward progress has stopped, especially by being tackled. Used of a ball carrier.
4. Baseball Retired; out: two down in the last of the ninth.
5. a. Completed; done: three exams down, two to go.
b. Learned or known perfectly: had the algebra problems down.
prep.1. a. In a descending direction along, upon, into, or through: rolled down the hill; floating down the river; flowed down the pipe.
b. In a sequential or temporal sequence: knowledge passed down the ages.
2. Along the course of: walking down the street.
3. In or at: The cans are stored down cellar.
n.1. a. A downward movement; descent: the downs of the rollercoaster ride.
b. A feeling of sadness or depression: His frequent downs made him hard to live with.
c. A misfortune or difficulty: went through a lot of ups and downs before succeeding.
2. Football Any of a series of four plays in American football or three plays in Canadian football during which a team must advance at least ten yards to retain possession of the ball.
v. downed, down·ing, downs
v.tr.1. To bring, put, strike, or throw down: downed his opponent in the first round.
2. To swallow hastily; gulp: downed the glass of water.
3. Football To put (the ball) out of play by touching it to the ground or stepping out of bounds.
v.intr. To go or come down; descend.
Idioms: down on Informal Hostile or negative toward; ill-disposed to: was down on jogging after his injury.
down on (one's) luck Afflicted by misfortune.
down with1. Used to express disapproval of someone or a wish to see someone removed from a position of authority: Down with the king!
2. Slang a. Being in support of or agreement with something: "He was not, I detected, 'down with the revolution'" (Clarence Page).
b. Knowledgeable or aware of the latest trends or developments: a hipster who is down with the newest fads.
[Middle English
doun, from Old English
-dūne (as in
ofdūne,
downwards), from
dūne, dative of
dūn,
hill; see
dheuə- in
Indo-European roots.]
down 2
(doun)n.1. Fine, soft, fluffy feathers forming the first plumage of a young bird and underlying the contour feathers in certain adult birds.
2. Botany A covering of soft, short hairs, as on some leaves or fruit.
3. A soft, silky, or feathery substance, such as the first growth of a human beard.
[Middle English doun, from Old Norse dūnn.]
down 3
(doun)n.1. often downs An expanse of rolling upland, often treeless, grassy, and used for grazing.
2. often Down Any of several breeds of sheep having short wool, originally bred in the Downs of southern England.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
down
(daʊn) prep1. used to indicate movement from a higher to a lower position: they went down the mountain.
2. at a lower or further level or position on, in, or along: he ran down the street.
adv3. downwards; at or to a lower level or position: don't fall down.
4. (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.
5. (particle) used with several verbs to indicate intensity or completion: calm down.
6. immediately: cash down.
7. on paper: write this down.
8. arranged; scheduled: the meeting is down for next week.
9. in a helpless position: they had him down on the ground.
10. a. away from a more important place: down from London.
b. away from a more northerly place: down from Scotland.
c. (of a member of some British universities) away from the university; on vacation
d. in a particular part of a country: down south.
11. (Nautical Terms) nautical (of a helm) having the rudder to windward
12. reduced to a state of lack or want: down to the last pound.
13. lacking a specified amount: at the end of the day the cashier was ten pounds down.
14. (Commerce) lower in price: bacon is down.
15. including all intermediate terms, grades, people, etc: from managing director down to tea-lady.
16. from an earlier to a later time: the heirloom was handed down.
17. to a finer or more concentrated state: to grind down; boil down.
18. (General Sporting Terms) sport being a specified number of points, goals, etc behind another competitor, team, etc: six goals down.
19. (Medicine) (of a person) being inactive, owing to illness: down with flu.
20. (functioning as imperative) (to dogs): down Rover!.
21. down with (functioning as imperative) wanting the end of somebody or something: down with the king!.
22. get down on something Austral and NZ to procure something, esp in advance of needs or in anticipation of someone else
adj23. (Psychology) (postpositive) depressed or miserable
24. (Railways) (prenominal) of or relating to a train or trains from a more important place or one regarded as higher: the down line.
25. (Computer Science) (postpositive) (of a device, machine, etc, esp a computer) temporarily out of action
26. (Commerce) made in cash: a down payment.
27. down to the responsibility or fault of: this defeat was down to me.
28. down with informal a. having a good understanding of: down with computers.
b. in agreement with: completely down with that idea.
c. enjoying mutual friendship and respect with: down with the kids.
vb29. (tr) to knock, push, or pull down
30. (intr) to go or come down
31. (tr) informal to drink, esp quickly: he downed three gins.
32. (Soccer) (tr) to bring (someone) down, esp by tackling
33. (Rugby) (tr) to bring (someone) down, esp by tackling
n34. (Soccer) American football one of a maximum of four consecutive attempts by one team to advance the ball a total of at least ten yards
35. (Rugby) American football one of a maximum of four consecutive attempts by one team to advance the ball a total of at least ten yards
36. a descent; downward movement
37. a lowering or a poor period (esp in the phrase ups and downs)
38. have a down on informal to bear ill will towards (someone or something)
[Old English dūne, short for adūne, variant of of dūne, literally: from the hill, from of, off + dūn hill; see down3]
down
(daʊn) n1. (Zoology) 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
3. (Botany) botany a fine coating of soft hairs, as on certain leaves, fruits, and seeds
4. (Zoology) any growth or coating of soft fine hair, such as that on the human face
[C14: of Scandinavian origin; related to Old Norse dūnn]
down
(daʊn) n (Physical Geography) archaic a hill, esp a sand dune
[Old English dūn; related to Old Frisian dūne, Old Saxon dūna hill, Old Irish dūn fortress, Greek this sandbank; see dune, town]
Down
(daʊn) n1. (Placename) a district of SE Northern Ireland, in Co Down. Pop: 65 195 (2003 est). Area: 649 sq km (250 sq miles)
2. (Historical Terms) 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) n1. (Breeds) 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 Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
down1
(daʊn)
adv. 1. from higher to lower; toward or into a lower position or level: Tell him to come down.
2. on or to the ground, floor, or the like: to fall down.
3. to or in a sitting or lying position.
4. to an area or district considered lower from a geographical standpoint, esp. southward: We drove down to San Diego.
5. to a lower value or rate: Slow down.
6. to a lesser pitch or volume: Turn down the radio.
7. in or to a calmer or less active state: The wind died down.
8. from an earlier to a later time.
9. from a greater to a lesser strength, amount, etc.: to water down a drink.
10. earnestly: to get down to work.
11. on paper: Write this down.
12. thoroughly; fully; completely.
13. in cash at the time of purchase: $50 down and $20 a month.
14. to the point of defeat or submission: to shout down the opposition.
15. to the source or actual position: to track someone down.
16. into a condition of ill health.
17. in or into a lower status or condition: kept down by lack of education.
18. Slang. on toast (as used at a lunch counter): Give me a tuna down.
prep. 19. in a descending or more remote direction on or along: They ran off down the street.
adj. 20. directed downward: the down escalator.
21. being at a low position or on the ground, floor, or bottom.
22. directed toward the south, a business district, etc.
23. downcast; depressed.
24. ailing or bedridden: to be down with a bad cold.
25. Football. (of the ball) not in play.
26. behind an opponent or opponents in points, games, etc.
27. having lost the amount indicated, esp. at gambling: to be down $10.
28. finished or taken care of: five down and one to go.
29. out of order: The computer is down again.
30. Slang. a. aware; knowledgeable.
b. accepted or admired; excellent.
n. 31. a downward movement; descent.
32. a turn for the worse; reverse.
33. Football. one of a series of four plays during which a team must advance the ball at least 10 yd. (9 m) to keep possession of it.
v.t. 34. to knock, throw, or bring down.
35. to drink down, esp. quickly.
36. to defeat in a game or contest.
v.i. 37. to go down; fall.
interj. 38. get down (used as a command or warning).
Idioms: 1. down cold or pat, learned perfectly.
2. down in the mouth, discouraged or depressed.
3. down on, hostile or averse to.
4. down with, to remove from power or do away with (used imperatively): Down with the king!
[before 1100; Middle English
doune, Old English
dūne, aph. variant of
adūne for
of dūne off (the) hill; see
a-
2,
down3]
down2
(daʊn)
n. 1. the soft first plumage of many young birds.
2. the soft under plumage of birds.
3. the under plumage of some birds, as geese and ducks, used for filling in quilts, clothing, etc., chiefly for warmth.
4. a fine, soft pubescence on plants and some fruits.
adj. 5. filled with down: a down jacket.
[1325–75; Middle English downe < Old Norse dūnn]
down′less, adj.
down′like`, adj.
down3
(daʊn)
n. 1. Often, downs. (esp. in southern England) open, rolling country usu. covered with grass.
2. (cap.) any sheep of several breeds raised orig. in the downs of S England, as the Suffolk.
[before 1000; Middle English; Old English dūn hill]
Down
(daʊn)
n. a county in SW Northern Ireland. 311,876; 952 sq. mi. (2466 sq. km).
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.