down1 S1 W1
to or towards a lower place or position [≠ up]:
to a lower position
David bent down to tie his shoelace.
Get down off the table.
Tears were streaming down my face.
The sun was going down and it would soon be dark.
They came running down the stairs.
She stood on a balcony looking down into the courtyard.
Glancing down the list of runners, I noticed a familiar name.
Her hair came down to her waist.
Ken fell asleep face down (=with his face towards the ground) on the couch.
in a lower place or position [≠ up]:
in a lower place
We heard the sound of laughter down below.
The bathroom is down those stairs.
Halfway down the page, there was the item I was looking for.
into a sitting or lying position:
Please sit down.
I think I'll go and lie down for a while.
at or to a place that is further along something such as a road or path:
A young man came hurrying down the street.
She looked down the road to see if anyone was coming.
There is a pleasant little cafe bar a hundred yards down the road.
The bus stop is a bit further down on the left-hand side.
in or towards the south [≠ up]:
They drove all the way down from Boston to Miami.
They sailed down the east coast of Africa.
Now he's bought a villa down south.
a trip down Mexico way
at or to a place that is not far away:
She's just gone down to the shops.
I saw her down at the station this morning.
away from the place where a river starts [≠ up]:
Chunks of ice came floating down the river.
used with verbs that mean 'fasten' to show that something is fastened firmly to the surface or object below it:
fastened to a surface
The coffin lid had been nailed down.
at or towards a level or amount that is less [≠ up]:
Keep your speed down.
House prices have come down in recent months.
Turn the radio down.
Sharif cut his report down to only three pages.
losing to an opponent by a certain number of points
two goals down/three points down etc
Swindon were six points down at one stage.
used with verbs that mean 'write' to show that you write something on paper or in a book:
I'll write down the address for you.
Start by jotting down a few ideas.
Let's put you down as self-employed.
if you are down for something, your name is on a list of people who want to do something or are intended to do something
on a list
Purvis is down for the 200 metre freestyle event.
We've already put his name down for nursery school.
down to do something
I've got you down to do the table decorations.
from an earlier time in history to a later time or to people who are born in later times:
to later times
a person whose words and actions have inspired millions of people down the centuries
This knowledge was handed down in the family from father to son.
The story has been passed down the generations for a thousand years.
traditions that have come down to us from medieval times
paid to someone immediately:
A top quality freezer for only £20 down and £5 a week for a year.
from top to bottom:
I want you to wash my car down.
in or into your stomach as a result of swallowing:
Meg's been very ill and can't keep her food down.
He gulped down the coffee.
unhappy or sad:
Tim's been feeling down.
if a computer is down, it is not working [≠ up]
if an action or decision is down to you, it is your responsibility:
It's down to me to make sure that everyone is happy.
➔ be up to somebodyat up1 (19b)
to be the result of one person's actions or one particular thing:
Chris's success is all down to him.
to be left with only a small amount of something:
We're down to our last five dollars.
including everything or everyone, even the smallest thing or the least important person:
Everyone uses the cafeteria, from the managing director down to the office boy.
The plans were all complete down to the last detail.
to have a particular illness:
Jane's gone down with flu.
used to say that you strongly oppose a government, leader etc and want them to lose their power:
Down with the government!
to have a severe attitude towards someone or something, especially when this is unfair:
Why is Mark so down on her at the moment?
used to say that someone leaves or has left a university at the end of a period of study
leaving universityBritish English
Sarah came down from Oxford in 1966.
already done or completed:
Well, you've passed your second test, so it's two down and four more to go.
in or to Australia or New Zealand
used to tell a jumping dog to get down
30 spoken informal
to be friends with someone
➔ be down on your luckat luck1 (17)WORD FOCUS: sad
unhappy sad because of the situation you are in
miserable very sad
depressed sad for a long time, and feeling that your life will never get better
gloomy/glum looking sad
down/down in the dumps sad and without much interest in life - usually not in a serious or permanent way
broken-hearted very sad because someone has ended a romantic relationship with you
homesick sad because you are a long way from your home and your friends
➔ See also sad