down

DOWN/daʊn/

Adverbfurther down, farther down, furthest down, farthest down

Verbdowns, downing, downed

75 meanings of down

Practice

1
to a lower placeadverb
Toward a lower place or toward the bottom, like falling down or scrolling down a page.
The kids ran down to the beach as soon as we parked.
My grandpa sat down slowly in his chair.
Similardownward, downwards
Oppositeup, upward, upwards
Note
2
lessenadverb
So that something becomes quieter, weaker or smaller in amount.
The doctor told him to cut down on salt and sugar.
You need to tone down the language.
UsageWe say slow down, calm down, turn it down, cut down on sugar.
Oppositeup
3
adverb
So that something stops working or closes.
The old factory in our town shut down when I was a child.
They closed the shop down last year.
UsageWe say shut down or power down a machine.
Oppositeup
4
preposition
Along a street, beach, or road, in any direction.
There is a great little taco place just down the road from my house.
We rode our bikes down the path along the river.
UsageDown the road can mean along the road, even when the ground is flat.
Similaralong
5
adverb
Used after a verb to show an action is done fully or for good.
He chased down every answer.
Nail down the details before you sign.
UsagePut him, her, or it between the verb and down: track him down.
Note
6
preposition
From the top of something to the bottom.
A tear rolled down her cheek as she read the letter.
Water ran down the window.
Oppositeup
Note
7
adverb
Further along a road or path.
Keep walking, and his house is a little farther down.
The bank is just down on the left.
UsageOften after a distance or farther: two doors down, a little farther down.
Similaralong
Oppositeup
Note
8
adjective
Lower than before, in amount or value.
The stock market is down today.
Prices are down since the summer.
UsageWe say sales are down by ten percent.
Similarlower, reduced
Oppositeup
9
on paperadverb
So that something is put on paper or kept as a record.
Write down what happened while it's fresh.
I took down her number.
UsageWe say write it down.
10
knock oververbtransitive
To knock something or someone to the ground.
The storm downed several old trees.
One good tackle can down the biggest player.
Similarfell, topple, floor, drop
11
adverb
Into smaller parts or into more detail.
Our teacher broke the big project down into small weekly tasks.
Let's break the numbers down by region.
UsageWe say break costs down or drill down.
12
verbtransitive
To bring something lower or set it to one side.
The bell rang and the workers downed their tools.
Down periscope, the captain ordered.
UsageMostly down tools: stop working.
Similarlower, drop
Oppositeraise, hoist
13
prepositioncolloquial
At or to a nearby place, used in casual talk, as in going down the shops.
Mom is down the store, but she'll be right back.
I'll meet you down the park after lunch.
UsageDown the pub means at the pub. In formal writing, say at.
Note
14
adverb
So that something is pressed or fixed firmly onto a surface, usually the floor or ground.
We need to nail down this carpet.
Tie the tarp down before the wind gets up.
UsageWe say screw it down or tie it down.
15
adverb
To a lower job, rank or level.
The coach moved him down to the second team.
After failing the test, she was moved down to an easier class.
UsageWe say a player is sent down; the opposite is called up.
Oppositeup
16
verbfigurativelytransitive
To defeat an opponent or bring a proud person low.
Our school downed its biggest rival in the final game.
Nobody has been able to down the champ this season.
Similardefeat, beat, overcome, overpower, vanquish
17
adverb
To the south, because south is at the bottom of most maps.
My grandparents drive down to Arizona every winter.
We took the train down from Boston to Washington.
UsageWe say down to Florida. The opposite is up north.
Similarsouth
Oppositeup, north
Note
18
adjective
Facing toward the ground or the floor.
Put the paper in the printer with the shiny side down.
Make sure the sticky side is down before you press it.
UsagePaired with up: one side up, one side down.
Similardownward
Oppositeup
Note

Less common meanings

19
sadadjectivecolloquial
Sad, unhappy, and low in spirits, especially after bad news.
Mary seems very down since the breakup.
I've been feeling down all week.
UsageWe say feel down, or down about something.
Similardepressed, miserable, sad, dejected, downcast
Oppositeup, happy, cheerful, upbeat
20
out of orderadjective
Not working or out of service.
I couldn't pay with my card because the bank's app was down.
The website has been down all morning.
UsageThe website is down. Later it is back up.
Similarbroken, offline, out, inoperative
Oppositeup
21
willingadjectiveslangCanadaUS
Happy to go along with something, often used with 'with', 'for' or 'to'.
I'm down for pizza tonight if you guys want to order some.
We're going to the lake on Saturday, so let me know if you're down.
UsageWe say I'm down or I'm down with it. In formal writing, use I'm willing or I agree.
Similargame, in, willing, okay
Note
22
feathersnouncountable or uncountable
Soft, fluffy feathers on young birds and under the outer feathers of adult birds, used to fill jackets and quilts.
The jacket is filled with goose down.
Ducklings are covered in yellow down.
UsageWe say goose down and a down jacket.
Similarfluff, fuzz
Note
23
adjective
Losing or behind in a game or contest.
They were down three-nil with five minutes to play.
He was down a bishop and a pawn.
UsageWe say a goal down or down by two. The opposite is up.
Similarbehind, trailing
Oppositeup
Note
24
drink quicklyverbcolloquialtransitive
To drink something quickly, all in one go.
After the long run, she downed a whole bottle of water.
She had to down the medicine in one gulp.
Similargulp, swig, quaff, swallow, guzzle
Oppositesip
25
adverb
Paid at once as the first part of a price, with the rest later.
We put a hundred pounds down on a new sofa.
You can have it with no money down.
UsageWe say put money down.
Note
26
adjectiveUKbritish
Followed by to, caused by something, or left for someone to decide or take care of.
Their success was down to hard work, not luck.
It's down to you whether we go to the beach or stay at home.
UsageAmerican English uses due to (for a cause) or up to (for a choice) instead.
Similardue
27
football playnouncountable
In American and Canadian football, one play, from the snap to the whistle.
It's third down and long.
On third down, the quarterback threw a long pass.
Note
28
adverb
From long ago to later times.
This old song came down to us from our great-grandparents.
My grandfather passed his watch down to my father.
UsageWe say pass down or hand down a story.
Note
29
illadjective
Ill and unable to do much, usually with 'with' and the illness.
My son is down with a fever, so he can't go to school.
Half the office is down with a cold.
UsageSay down with the flu. She's down on its own often means she feels sad.
Similarill, sick
Oppositewell, healthy, fit
30
masteredadjective
Learned so well that you know it perfectly.
Two weeks to opening night and our lines still aren't down.
She has the routine down cold.
UsageWe say have it down or get it down.
Similarlearned
31
adjective
Of hair, left to hang loose instead of being tied back or pinned up.
She wore her hair down for the school dance.
Your hair looks really nice down like that.
UsageHair up or hair down.
Similarloose
Oppositeup
Note
32
done withadjective
Already done or gone by, often used with 'to go' for what is left.
Three exams down and only one more to go before summer!
Ten minutes down and nothing has happened.
UsageWe say five down, one to go.
Similardone, finished, completed
33
nouncountable
A down payment, the first part of a price paid at once.
How much is the down on the house?
We finally saved enough for the down on a small house.
UsageDown payment is the more usual phrase.
Similardeposit
34
adjective
Used about trees, branches or wood lying on the ground after falling or being cut.
The trail was blocked by down timber.
We gathered down wood for the fire.
UsageOften down trees or down branches, meaning fallen.
Similarfallen
Oppositestanding
Note
35
hostileadjectivecolloquial
Having a bad opinion of someone or something, used with 'on'.
She's been down on clams since the food poisoning.
Why are you so down on the new manager?
UsageSay down on something. Down with means okay with.
Similarhostile, negative, critical
Oppositekeen, enthusiastic, positive
36
chalk hillnoundialectalAustraliaSouthern Englandcountable or uncountable
A hill, especially a rounded chalk hill with no trees on it.
From the top of the downs, we could see the sea in the distance.
The village sits at the foot of the down.
Similarhill
Note
37
nouncountable
A bad side or bad part of something.
Like any job, nursing has its ups and downs.
Moving to a big city has its ups and downs.
Similardownside, drawback, disadvantage, minus
Oppositeupside, advantage, plus
38
adjectiveslang
Of a person, hurt so badly that they cannot move normally, or killed.
Call an ambulance, we have a man down!
Two firefighters were down after the roof fell in.
UsageSaid after the noun: man down.
Similarwounded
Note
39
nouncountable
In a crossword, a clue whose answer goes from top to bottom.
I can't get 3 down. Can you help?
She always starts with the downs.
UsageSay the number first: 17 down.
Oppositeacross
Note
40
nouncountable or uncountable
The soft, thin hair that first grows on a face.
My son is proud of the soft down on his upper lip.
There was only a little down on his cheeks.
Similarfuzz
Note
41
adverb
Out of town toward the country, whichever way you go.
42
adverb
To a place people call lower by custom, even if it is not.
43
adverb
Straight ahead in the same direction.
44
adverb
On a railway, going away from the main end of the line.
45
adverbdatedUK
Leaving Oxford or Cambridge University, for a break or for good.
46
adverb
In sports, moving to where the other team defends.
47
adverb
So that something gets smaller or lighter.
48
adverb
So that someone is scared into being quiet.
49
adverb
In a crossword, going from top to bottom.
50
adverb
A command meaning get low or get off.
51
preposition
Going south along or through a place.
52
preposition
Along a river in the way the water flows.
53
adjective
Of a cow, lying on the ground and not able to stand.
54
adjectiveslang
Of a plane, crashed or shot so it can no longer fly.
55
adjectiveslang
Locked up in jail.
56
adjectivecolloquial
In baseball or cricket, out.
57
adjectiveslang
Loyal to and accepted by your crew.
58
adjectiveobsolete
Total or complete.
This, he muſt give me leave to tell him, is an abſolute, right down—falſehood.
1764, Jonathan Mayhew, A Defence of the Observations on the Charter and Conduct of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign…
59
adjective
Of a train, going away from the main station of the line.
60
verb
To shoot a plane or other flying thing out of the sky.
61
verbcolloquial
To say bad things about someone.
62
verbobsolete
To go lower.
63
verbCanadian
In American or Canadian football, to stop play with the ball, for example by kneeling while holding it.
64
verb
To make a ball fall in the cup or pocket you aimed for.
65
noundated
A lasting bad feeling toward someone.
She had a down on me. I don't know what for, I'm sure; because I never said a word.
1974, GB Edwards, The Book of Ebenezer Le Page
66
noun
A drug that makes you calm or sleepy.
67
noun
Drinking a whole drink in one go.
68
noun
A dealer's turn at one casino table before moving on.
69
noun
A room on the ground floor of a house with two floors.
70
noun
The second-lightest quark, a tiny particle with a negative charge a third the size of a proton's.
71
noun
An open grassy area, often for horse racing.
72
nounUK
Low grassy hills near the sea where sheep graze.
73
noun
Soft fine hairs on plants or on seeds like thistle seeds.
74
noun
A soft feather bed or pillow, or anything very comfortable.
75
verb
To fill or cover something with soft feathers.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of down apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1–21, 23–35, 37–39

From Old English dūne, a shortened form of adūne meaning 'downward'. It came from ofdūne, literally 'off the hill'.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

Down derives from Old English dūne, a shortened form of adūne meaning downward. en.wiktionary.org
Adūne derives from ofdūne. en.wiktionary.org
Ofdūne literally means off the hill. en.wiktionary.org

Meaning 36

From Old English dūn ('hill, dune'). Its earlier origin is uncertain: perhaps from a Germanic word for 'pile, heap', or perhaps borrowed from a Celtic word for 'hill' or 'hillfort'.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 4 facts

The hill/dune noun derives from Old English dūn. en.wiktionary.org
Its earlier origin is uncertain. en.wiktionary.org
A Germanic word meaning 'pile, heap' is one proposed source. en.wiktionary.org
Borrowing from a Celtic word meaning 'hill' or 'hillfort' is another proposed origin. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 22, 40

From Old Norse dúnn ('down', the soft feathers), from a Proto-Germanic word *dūnaz.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

English down, meaning soft feathers, derives from Old Norse dúnn. en.wiktionary.org
Old Norse dúnn means down, the soft feathers. en.wiktionary.org
Old Norse dúnn derives from reconstructed Proto-Germanic *dūnaz. en.wiktionary.org