[
UK
/dˈaʊn/
]
[ US /ˈdaʊn/ ]
[ US /ˈdaʊn/ ]
VERB
-
shoot at and force to come down
the enemy landed several of our aircraft - bring down or defeat (an opponent)
-
cause to come or go down
The mugger knocked down the old lady after she refused to hand over her wallet
The policeman downed the heavily armed suspect -
drink down entirely
He downed three martinis before dinner
They popped a few beer after work
She killed a bottle of brandy that night -
eat up completely, as with great appetite
The teenagers demolished four pizzas among them
Some people can down a pound of meat in the course of one meal -
improve or perfect by pruning or polishing
refine one's style of writing
ADVERB
-
from an earlier time
the story was passed down from father to son -
away from a more central or a more northerly place
came down for the wedding
worked down on the farm
flew down to Florida
was sent down to work at the regional office -
to a lower intensity
he slowly phased down the light until the stage was completely black -
paid in cash at time of purchase
put ten dollars down on the necklace -
in an inactive or inoperative state
the factory went down during the strike
the computer went down again -
spatially or metaphorically from a higher to a lower level or position
prices plunged downward
don't fall down
rode the lift up and skied down
ADJECTIVE
-
extending or moving from a higher to a lower place
the downward course of the stream
the down staircase -
being put out by a strikeout
two down in the bottom of the ninth -
not functioning (temporarily or permanently)
we can't work because the computer is down -
understood perfectly
had his algebra problems down -
shut
the shades were down -
lower than previously
prices are down
the market is depressed -
becoming progressively lower
the down trend in the real estate market -
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
lay face down
down by a pawn
the stock market is down today
our team is down by a run
the moon is down -
filled with melancholy and despondency
gloomy predictions
downcast after his defeat
depressed by the loss of his job
feeling discouraged and downhearted
a dispirited and resigned expression on her face
gloomy at the thought of what he had to face
the darkening mood
lonely and blue in a strange city
a gloomy silence
took a grim view of the economy
NOUN
- fine soft dense hair (as the fine short hair of cattle or deer or the wool of sheep or the undercoat of certain dogs)
- soft fine feathers
-
(American football) a complete play to advance the football
you have four downs to gain ten yards - (usually plural) a rolling treeless highland with little soil
How To Use down In A Sentence
- As the holiday movie season winds down, we thought we'd preview the films of 2003 to see which ones stand out and which should stand down.
- Before we did anything we wrote and rewrote the script until we felt what we had got written down was a really good story.
- A boa made from black water mink is worth about 50 dollars, a collarette about $100,00 and a coat reaching down to the hips would cost about $250,00. Black Beaver The Trapper
- If there was any hope of holding on to even a shred of her dwindling self-respect, she should do exactly what she knew Margo would do—close the laptop, take her de-scrunchied, perfumed, and nearly thonged self down to the nearest club, pick up the first passably good-looking stranger who asked her to dance, and bring him back to the apartment for some safe but anonymous sex. Goodnight Tweetheart
- Sefelt has pulled back halfway normal, swelling up and down with big wet, rattling breaths.
- The doctor has said that I can start stepping down my medication in a few days' time.
- He made comments about a couple of items, suggesting an appetizer that sounded unlikely but that, in his words,'went down a treat. FOLLY
- Assemble the table on a level surface, turn the top wheel upside down and place the seat wheel on top of it.
- People were gulping down sundowners, women seemed to be, rather disinterestedly, sipping their drinks and picking up a bite.
- Neither of them sugar-coat the ups and down of working in the industry, but they will open your eyes a great deal about the false assumptions that you're making.