[
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
- 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.
- 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.
- It was of a suitable Ash Wednesday character and left the congregation feeling sober and a little cast down.
- If you interview a lot of conservative Democrats, even in states like Texas, you know, New Mexico, they are very concerned that Hillary Clinton on the top of the ticket would really kind of depress voter turnout and ultimately affect a lot of down ballot races. CNN Transcript Apr 18, 2008
