Word Study
down
OXFORD DICTIONARY
down, adv., prep., adj., v., & n.
--adv. (superl. downmost)
1 into or towards a lower place, esp. to the ground (fall down; knelt down).
2 in a lower place or position (blinds were down).
3 to or in a place regarded as lower, esp.: a southwards. b Brit. away from a major city or a university.
4 a in or into a low or weaker position or condition (hit a man when he's down; many down with colds). b Brit. in a position of lagging or loss (our team was three goals down; {pound}5 down on the transaction). c (of a computer system) out of action or unavailable for use (esp. temporarily).
5 from an earlier to a later time (customs handed down; down to 1600).
6 to a finer or thinner consistency or a smaller amount or size (grind down; water down; boil down).
7 cheaper; lower in price or value (bread is down; shares are down).
8 into a more settled state (calm down).
9 in writing; in or into recorded or listed form (copy it down; I got it down on tape; you are down to speak next).
10 (of part of a larger whole) paid, dealt with ({pound}5 down, {pound}20 to pay; three down, six to go).
11 Naut. a with the current or wind. b (of a ship's helm) with the rudder to windward.
12 inclusively of the lower limit in a series (read down to the third paragraph).
13 (as int.) lie down, put (something) down, etc.
14 (of a crossword clue or answer) read vertically (cannot do five down).
15 downstairs, esp. after rising (is not down yet).
16 swallowed (could not get the pill down).
17 Amer. Football (of the ball) out of play.
--prep.
1 downwards along, through, or into.
2 from top to bottom of.
3 along (walk down the road; cut down the middle).
4 at or in a lower part of (situated down the river).
--adj. (superl. downmost)
1 directed downwards.
2 Brit. of travel away from a capital or centre (the down train; the down platform).
--v.tr. colloq.
1 knock or bring down.
2 swallow (a drink).
--n.
1 an act of putting down (esp. an opponent in wrestling, or the ball in American football).
2 a reverse of fortune (ups and downs).
3 colloq. a period of depression.
4 the play of the first piece in dominoes.
--adv. (superl. downmost)
1 into or towards a lower place, esp. to the ground (fall down; knelt down).
2 in a lower place or position (blinds were down).
3 to or in a place regarded as lower, esp.: a southwards. b Brit. away from a major city or a university.
4 a in or into a low or weaker position or condition (hit a man when he's down; many down with colds). b Brit. in a position of lagging or loss (our team was three goals down; {pound}5 down on the transaction). c (of a computer system) out of action or unavailable for use (esp. temporarily).
5 from an earlier to a later time (customs handed down; down to 1600).
6 to a finer or thinner consistency or a smaller amount or size (grind down; water down; boil down).
7 cheaper; lower in price or value (bread is down; shares are down).
8 into a more settled state (calm down).
9 in writing; in or into recorded or listed form (copy it down; I got it down on tape; you are down to speak next).
10 (of part of a larger whole) paid, dealt with ({pound}5 down, {pound}20 to pay; three down, six to go).
11 Naut. a with the current or wind. b (of a ship's helm) with the rudder to windward.
12 inclusively of the lower limit in a series (read down to the third paragraph).
13 (as int.) lie down, put (something) down, etc.
14 (of a crossword clue or answer) read vertically (cannot do five down).
15 downstairs, esp. after rising (is not down yet).
16 swallowed (could not get the pill down).
17 Amer. Football (of the ball) out of play.
--prep.
1 downwards along, through, or into.
2 from top to bottom of.
3 along (walk down the road; cut down the middle).
4 at or in a lower part of (situated down the river).
--adj. (superl. downmost)
1 directed downwards.
2 Brit. of travel away from a capital or centre (the down train; the down platform).
--v.tr. colloq.
1 knock or bring down.
2 swallow (a drink).
--n.
1 an act of putting down (esp. an opponent in wrestling, or the ball in American football).
2 a reverse of fortune (ups and downs).
3 colloq. a period of depression.
4 the play of the first piece in dominoes.
Idiom
be (or have a) down on colloq. disapprove of; show animosity towards. be down to
1 be attributable to.
2 be the responsibility of.
3 have used up everything except (down to their last tin of rations).
down and out
1 penniless, destitute.
2 Boxing unable to resume the fight. down-and-out n. a destitute person.
down at heel
1 (of a shoe) with the heel worn down.
2 (of a person) wearing such shoes; shabby, slovenly. down draught a downward draught, esp. one down a chimney into a room.
down grade
1 a descending slope of a road or railway.
2 a deterioration (see also DOWNGRADE). down in the mouth colloq. looking unhappy. down-market adj. & adv. colloq. towards or relating to the cheaper or less affluent sector of the market.
down on one's luck colloq.
1 temporarily unfortunate.
2 dispirited by misfortune. down payment a partial payment made at the time of purchase. down stage Theatr. at or to the front of the stage. down-stroke a stroke made or written downwards. down time time during which a machine, esp. a computer, is out of action or unavailable for use. down-to-earth practical, realistic. down to the ground colloq. completely. down tools colloq. cease work, esp. to go on strike.
down town
1 into a town from a higher or outlying part.
2 US to or in the business part of a city (see also DOWNTOWN). down under colloq. in the antipodes, esp. Australia. down wind in the direction in which the wind is blowing (see also DOWNWIND). down with int. expressing strong disapproval or rejection of a specified person or thing.
1 be attributable to.
2 be the responsibility of.
3 have used up everything except (down to their last tin of rations).
down and out
1 penniless, destitute.
2 Boxing unable to resume the fight. down-and-out n. a destitute person.
down at heel
1 (of a shoe) with the heel worn down.
2 (of a person) wearing such shoes; shabby, slovenly. down draught a downward draught, esp. one down a chimney into a room.
down grade
1 a descending slope of a road or railway.
2 a deterioration (see also DOWNGRADE). down in the mouth colloq. looking unhappy. down-market adj. & adv. colloq. towards or relating to the cheaper or less affluent sector of the market.
down on one's luck colloq.
1 temporarily unfortunate.
2 dispirited by misfortune. down payment a partial payment made at the time of purchase. down stage Theatr. at or to the front of the stage. down-stroke a stroke made or written downwards. down time time during which a machine, esp. a computer, is out of action or unavailable for use. down-to-earth practical, realistic. down to the ground colloq. completely. down tools colloq. cease work, esp. to go on strike.
down town
1 into a town from a higher or outlying part.
2 US to or in the business part of a city (see also DOWNTOWN). down under colloq. in the antipodes, esp. Australia. down wind in the direction in which the wind is blowing (see also DOWNWIND). down with int. expressing strong disapproval or rejection of a specified person or thing.
down, n.
1 a the first covering of young birds. b a bird's under-plumage, used in cushions etc. c a layer of fine soft feathers.
2 fine soft hair esp. on the face.
3 short soft hairs on some leaves, fruit, seeds, etc.
4 a fluffy substance, e.g. thistledown.
1 a the first covering of young birds. b a bird's under-plumage, used in cushions etc. c a layer of fine soft feathers.
2 fine soft hair esp. on the face.
3 short soft hairs on some leaves, fruit, seeds, etc.
4 a fluffy substance, e.g. thistledown.
down, n.
1 an area of open rolling land.
2 (in pl.; usu. prec. by the) a undulating chalk and limestone uplands esp. in S. England, with few trees and used mainly for pasture. b (Downs) a part of the sea (opposite the North Downs) off E. Kent.
1 an area of open rolling land.
2 (in pl.; usu. prec. by the) a undulating chalk and limestone uplands esp. in S. England, with few trees and used mainly for pasture. b (Downs) a part of the sea (opposite the North Downs) off E. Kent.
Derivative
downy adj.
Etymology
OE dun perh. f. OCelt.
THESAURUS
down
COD, Vandyke, actively, adown, ailing, air, alkali flat, all up with, alluvial plain, anthill, backset, bad, barrow, basin, beard, beat, beaten, beaver, bedfast, bedridden, below, below par, best, bested, blow down, blow over, blubber, blue, booked, bottomland, bowed-down, bowl down, bowl over, brae, breeze, bring down, bristles, bubble, bulldog, bushveld, butte, butter, campo, carry off, cascade, cash, cash down, cash on delivery, cast down, cataract, chaff, champaign, champaign country, check, chip, chop down, chute, clay, coastal plain, cobweb, collapse, collapsing, come down, comedown, completed, completely, concluded, confined, confounded, conquer, consume, cork, crash, critically ill, cushion, cut down, cut off, daintiness, dash down, dashed, debacle, deciduous, deck, declension, declination, declining, declivitous, decurrent, defeated, defluxion, dejected, delicacy, delta, depressant, depressed, depressing, depressive, descend, descendant, descending, descension, descent, desert, despairing, despondent, desponding, destroy, devour, digest, dip down, discomfited, discomfiture, discouraged, discouraging, disheartened, disheartening, dispatch, dispirited, dispiriting, dispose of, disregard, documented, done, done for, done in, dough, down, down south, downbend, downcast, downcome, downcurve, downfall, downfalling, downflow, downgoing, downgrade, downhearted, downhill, downiness, downline, downpour, downright, downrush, downs, downsinking, downstairs, downstream, downstreet, downtown, downtrend, downturn, downward, downward trend, downwards, downwith, drooping, droopy, drop, drop down, drop off, dropping, drumlin, dune, dust, earlier, earnestly, earthward, eat, eat up, eiderdown, ended, enrolled, entered, ether, faint, faintish, fairy, fall, fall down, fall off, fallen, falling, feather, feather bed, feathers, feeling awful, feeling faint, feeling low, feeling something terrible, fell, fetch down, filed, filminess, fine-grainedness, fineness, finish, finished, fixed, flat, flat country, flatland, flats, flatten, fleece, floor, floored, floss, flue, fluff, fluffiness, foam, foothills, for real, froth, fully, fur, fuzz, fuzziness, get away with, get down, go down, go downhill, goatee, gossamer, gossameriness, grass veld, grassland, gravitate, gravitation, ground, heartless, heath, hew down, hill, hillock, hipped, hors de combat, hospitalized, hummock, hurdle, hypochondriac, hypochondriacal, ignore, ill, imperial, in childbed, in danger, in hospital, in low spirits, in the depths, in the doldrums, in the dumps, inclination, indexed, indisposed, inferior, ingest, inscribed, invalided, kapok, knob, knock down, knoll, laid low, laid up, lambasted, lande, languishing, lathered, lay level, lay low, lay out, legal, level, lick, licked, lint, liquidate, llano, logged, lose altitude, low, low-spirited, lower, lowest, lowland, lowlands, lunar mare, mare, master, mesa, mesilla, minuted, molehill, money down, monticle, monticule, moor, moorland, mortally ill, mote, mound, mow down, nether, not quite right, of record, off, off-color, official, on call, on demand, on file, on record, on the books, on the descendant, on the downgrade, on the skids, open country, oppressive, out of sorts, outdo, outdone, overborne, overcome, overmastered, overmatched, overpowered, overridden, overthrown, overturned, overwhelmed, pampa, pampas, panicked, parachute, pay-as-you-go, peach fuzz, peneplain, pessimistic, pile, pillow, pining, pipe, pitch, plain, plains, plateau, playa, plummet, plummeting, plunge, plunging, plush, pocket, pocket the affront, posted, pounce, pour down, prairie, precipitate, prostrate, pubescence, pudding, puff, pull down, put away, put to rout, putty, rain, rapids, rase, raze, recorded, refinement, registered, reversal, reverse, reverse of fortune, rocky, routed, rubber, ruined, sagging, salt flat, salt marsh, salt pan, sand dune, satin, satininess, savanna, scattered, scrag, sebkha, seedy, send headlong, setback, setting, settled, severe check, sick, sick abed, sick unto death, sickish, side whiskers, silenced, silk, silkiness, sinking, skinned, skinned alive, slack, sluggish, smoothness, softness, spiritless, sponge, spread-eagle, spume, stampeded, steppe, stomach, stoop, straw, strictly cash, stubble, subdued, subjacent, submerging, subsiding, suicidal, supinate, surmount, surround, swallow, swallow an insult, swansdown, swell, swoop, table, tableland, take, take down, take in, take off, taken ill, terminated, thistledown, through, through-and-through, throw, throw down, throwback, topple, tottering, tree veld, trend downward, trimmed, trip, trounced, tuck in, tuft, tumble, tumbledown, tundra, turn aside provocation, under, under the weather, undone, unwell, upland, upset, vega, veld, velvet, velvetiness, waterfall, wax, weald, weary of life, whack down, whelmed, whipped, whiskers, wide-open spaces, woebegone, wold, wool, world-weary, worst, worsted, written down, zephyrROGET THESAURUS
down
Pain
N mental suffering, pain, dolor, suffering, sufferance, ache, smart, passion, displeasure, dissatisfaction, discomfort, discomposure, disquiet, malaise, inquietude, uneasiness, vexation of spirit, taking, discontent, dejection, weariness, anhedonia, annoyance, irritation, worry, infliction, visitation, plague, bore, bother, botheration, stew, vexation, mortification, chagrin, esclandre, mauvais quart d'heur, care, anxiety, solicitude, trouble, trial, ordeal, fiery ordeal, shock, blow, cark, dole, fret, burden, load, concern, grief, sorrow, distress, affliction, woe, bitterness, heartache, carking cares, heavy heart, aching heart, bleeding heart, broken heart, heavy affliction, gnawing grief, unhappiness, infelicity, misery, tribulation, wretchedness, desolation, despair, extremity, prostration, depth of misery, nightmare, ephialtes, incubus, pang, anguish, agony, torture, torment, purgatory, hell upon earth, iron age, reign of terror, slough of despond, peck of troubles, ills that flesh is heir to, miseries of human life, unkindest cut of all, sufferer, victim, prey, martyr, object of compassion, wretch, shorn lamb, in pain, in a state of pain, full of pain, suffering, pained, afflicted, worried, displeased, aching, griped, sore, on the rack, in limbo, between hawk and buzzard, uncomfortable, uneasy, ill at ease, in a taking, in a way, disturbed, discontented, out of humor, weary, heavy laden, stricken, crushed, a prey to, victimized, ill-used, unfortunate, to be pitied, doomed, devoted, accursed, undone, lost, stranded, fey, unhappy, infelicitous, poor, wretched, miserable, woe-begone, cheerless, careworn, concerned, sorry, sorrowing, sorrowful, cut up, chagrined, horrified, horror-stricken, in grief, plunged in grief, a prey to grief, in tears, steeped to the lips in misery, heart-stricken, heart-broken, heart-scalded, broken-hearted, in despair, the iron entered into our soul, haeret lateri lethalis arundo, one's heart bleeding, down, thou climbing sorrow, mirth cannot move a soul in agony, nessun maggior dolere che ricordarsi del tempo fel, sorrow's crown of sorrow is remembering happier th, the Niobe of Nations.Height
N height, altitude, elevation, eminence, pitch, loftiness, sublimity, tallness, stature, procerity, prominence, colossus, giant, grenadier, giraffe, camelopard, mount, mountain, hill alto, butte, monticle, fell, knap, cape, headland, foreland, promontory, ridge, hog's back, dune, rising ground, vantage ground, down, moor, moorland, Alp, uplands, highlands, heights, knob, loma, pena, picacho, tump, knoll, hummock, hillock, barrow, mound, mole, steeps, bluff, cliff, craig, tor, peak, pike, clough, escarpment, edge, ledge, brae, dizzy height, tower, pillar, column, obelisk, monument, steeple, spire, minaret, campanile, turret, dome, cupola, skyscraper, pole, pikestaff, maypole, flagstaff, top mast, topgallant mast, ceiling, high water, high tide, flood tide, spring tide, altimetry, batophobia, satellite, spy-in-the-sky, high, elevated, eminent, exalted, lofty, tall, gigantic, Patagonian, towering, beetling, soaring, hanging (gardens), elevated, upper, highest, high reaching, insessorial, perching, upland, moorland, hilly, knobby, mountainous, alpine, subalpine, heaven kissing, cloudtopt, cloudcapt, cloudtouching, aerial, overhanging, incumbent, overlying, superincumbent, supernatant, superimposed, prominent, tall as a maypole, tall as a poplar, tall as a steeple, lanky, on high, high up, aloft, up, above, aloof, overhead, airwind, upstairs, abovestairs, in the clouds, on tiptoe, on stilts, on the shoulders of, over head and ears, breast high, over, upwards, from top to bottom, e meglio cader dalle finistre che dal tetto.Smoothness
N smoothness, polish, gloss, lubricity, lubrication, down, velvet, velure, silk, satin, velveteen, velour, velours, velumen, glass, ice, slide, bowling green, asphalt, wood pavement, flagstone, flags, roller, steam roller, lawn roller, rolling pin, rolling mill, sand paper, emery paper, emery cloth, sander, flat iron, sad iron, burnisher, turpentine and beeswax, polish, shoe polish, lapidary, lapidary, lapidarian, smooth, polished, leiodermatous, slick, velutinous, even, level, plane, sleek, glossy, silken, silky, lanate, downy, velvety, glabrous, slippery, glassy, lubricous, oily, soft, unwrinkled, smooth as glass, smooth as ice, smooth as monumental alabaster, smooth as velvet, smooth as oil, slippery as an eel, woolly, smooth as silk, slippery as coonshit on a pump handle, slippery as a greased pig.Roughness
N roughness, tooth, grain, texture, ripple, asperity, rugosity, salebrosity, corrugation, nodosity, arborescence, pilosity, brush, hair, beard, shag, mane, whisker, moustache, imperial, tress, lock, curl, ringlet, fimbriae, pili, cilia, villi, lovelock, beaucatcher, curl paper, goatee, papillote, scalp lock, plumage, plumosity, plume, panache, crest, feather, tuft, fringe, toupee, wool, velvet, plush, nap, pile, floss, fur, down, byssus, moss, bur, fluff, knot (convolution), rough, uneven, scabrous, scaly, knotted, rugged, rugose, rugous, knurly, asperous, crisp, salebrous, gnarled, unpolished, unsmooth, roughhewn, craggy, cragged, crankling, scraggy, prickly, arborescent, leafy, well-wooded, feathery, plumose, plumigerous, laciniate, laciniform, laciniose, pappose, pileous, pilose, trichogenous, trichoid, tufted, fimbriated, hairy, ciliated, filamentous, hirsute, crinose, crinite, bushy, hispid, villous, pappous, bearded, pilous, shaggy, shagged, fringed, befringed, setous, setose, setaceous, like quills upon the fretful porcupine, rough as a nutmeg grater, rough as a bear, downy, velvety, flocculent, woolly, lanate, lanated, lanuginous, lanuginose, tomentose, fluffy, against the grain, cabello luengo y corto el seso.Levity
N levity, lightness, imponderability, buoyancy, volatility, feather, dust, mote, down, thistle, down, flue, cobweb, gossamer, straw, cork, bubble, balloon, float, buoy, ether, air, leaven, ferment, barm, yeast, lighter-than-air balloon, helium balloon, hydrogen balloon, hot air balloon, convection, thermal draft, thermal, light, subtile, airy, imponderous, imponderable, astatic, weightless, ethereal, sublimated, gossamery, suberose, suberous, uncompressed, volatile, buoyant, floating, portable, light as a feather, light as a thistle, light as air, lighter than air, rise like a balloon, float like a balloon, levity, lightness, imponderability, buoyancy, volatility, feather, dust, mote, down, thistle, down, flue, cobweb, gossamer, straw, cork, bubble, balloon, float, buoy, ether, air, leaven, ferment, barm, yeast, lighter-than-air balloon, helium balloon, hydrogen balloon, hot air balloon, convection, thermal draft, thermal, light, subtile, airy, imponderous, imponderable, astatic, weightless, ethereal, sublimated, gossamery, suberose, suberous, uncompressed, volatile, buoyant, floating, portable, light as a feather, light as a thistle, light as air, lighter than air, rise like a balloon, float like a balloon.Softness
N softness, pliableness, flexibility, pliancy, pliability, sequacity, malleability, ductility, tractility, extendibility, extensibility, plasticity, inelasticity, flaccidity, laxity, penetrability, clay, wax, butter, dough, pudding, alumina, argil, cushion, pillow, feather bed, down, padding, wadding, foam, mollification, softening, soft, tender, supple, pliant, pliable, flexible, flexile, lithe, lithesome, lissom, limber, plastic, ductile, tractile, tractable, malleable, extensile, sequacious, inelastic, aluminous, remollient, yielding, flabby, limp, flimsy, doughy, spongy, penetrable, foamy, cushiony, flaccid, flocculent, downy, edematous, oedematous, medullary, argillaceous, mellow, soft as butter, soft as down, soft as silk, yielding as wax, tender as chicken.For further exploring for "down" in Webster Dictionary Online
