DOWN | English Meaning, Definition, and Pronunciation

Old English dūn, dūne, shortened from adūne ‘downward’, from the phrase of dūne ‘off the hill’ (see down)

towards or in a lower place or position, especially to or on the ground or another surface

towards or in lower position

• she looked down
• the sun started to go down
• he put his glass down
• he swung the axe to chop down the tree

to or at a lower level of intensity, volume, or activity

to or at lower level of intensity etc.

• keep the noise down
• the panic was dying down
• at night it would cool down

in or into a weaker or worse position, mood, or condition

in or into worse position etc.

• the disclosures brought down some of the biggest names in the business
• he was down with the flu

in or into writing

in or into writing

• Graham noted the numbers down carefully
• taking down notes

(with reference to partial payment of a sum of money) made initially or on the spot

(of payment) made initially or immediately

• pay £5 down and the rest at the end of the month

(of sailing) with the current or the wind.

(of sailing) with current or wind

(of the ball or a player in possession) not in play, typically through progress being stopped.

(of ball or player) not in play

from a higher to a lower point of (something)

from higher to lower point of

• up and down the stairs
• tears streaming down her face

throughout (a period of time)

throughout period of time

• astrologers down the ages

directed or moving towards a lower place or position

directed or moving towards lower position

• the down escalator
• click on the down arrow

unhappy or depressed

unhappy or depressed

• he's been so down lately

(of a computer system) temporarily out of action or unavailable

(of computer system) out of action

• sorry, but the computer's down

supporting or going along with someone or something

supporting or going along with

• you got to be down with me
• she was totally down for a selfie
• ‘You going to the movies?’ ‘Yo, I'm down.’

denoting a flavour (variety) of stable quark having relatively low mass and an electric charge of −1/3. In the Standard Model protons and neutrons are composed of up and down quarks.

denoting flavour of quark

knock or bring to the ground

bring to the ground

• 175 enemy aircraft had been downed
• he struck Slater on the face, downing him

consume (something, typically a drink)

consume drink

• he downed five pints of cider

a period of unwelcome experiences or negative mood

unwelcome experience

• there had been more downs than ups during his years at the company
• everyone gets their downs, their depressive periods

a chance for a team to advance the ball, ending when the ball carrier is tackled or the ball becomes out of play. A team must advance at least ten yards in a series of four downs in order to keep possession.

chance to advance ball