down1

adverb

• 1toward or in a lower place or position, especially to or on the ground or another surface:she looked down the sun started to go down he put his glass down she flicked the switch up and down he swung the ax to chop down the tree
• at or to a specified distance below:you can plainly see the bottom 35 feet down
• downstairs:I went down to put the kettle on
• expressing movement or position away from the north:they’re living down south
• to or at a place perceived as lower (often expressing casualness or lack of hurry):I’d rather be down at the villa I’m going down to the arcade
• British away from the capital or major city:there are eight trains a day, four up and four down
• British away from a university, especially Oxford or Cambridge.
• (with reference to food or drink swallowed) in or into the stomach:she couldn’t keep anything down
• so as to lie or be fixed flush or flat:she stuck down a Christmas label
• [as exclamation] used as a command to a person or animal to sit or lie down:down, boy!
• a crossword answer that reads vertically:how many letters in fifteen down?

• 2to or at a lower level of intensity, volume, or activity:keep the noise down the panic was dying down at night it would cool down
• to or at a lower price, value, or rank:output was down by 20 percent soup is down from 59 cents to 49 cents
• to a finer consistency, a smaller amount or size, or a simpler or more basic state:I must slim down a bit a formal statement that can’t be edited down thin down an oil-based paint with spirits
• from an earlier to a later point in time or order:everyone, from the president down to the guy selling hot dogs, is outraged

• 3in or into a weaker or worse position, mood, or condition:the scandal brought down the government he was down with the flu
• losing or at a disadvantage by a specified amount:the Braves, down 7-6, rallied for two runs in the sixth inning
• used to express progress through a series of tasks or items:one down and only six more to go
• (of a computer system) out of action or unavailable for use (especially temporarily):the system went down yesterday
• (down with ——) shouted to express strong dislike of a specified person or thing:crowds chanted “Down with bureaucracy!”

• 4in or into writing:I just write down whatever comes into my head taking down notes
• on or onto a list, schedule, or record:I’ll put you down for the evening shift

• 5(with reference to partial payment of a sum of money) made initially or on the spot:pay $500 down and the rest at the end of the month

• 6(of sailing) with the current or the wind.
• (of a ship’s helm) moved around to leeward so that the rudder is to windward and the vessel swings toward the wind.

• 7 Football (of the ball or a player in possession) not in play, typically because forward progress has been stopped.

preposition

• 1from a higher to a lower point of (something):up and down the stairs tears streaming down her face
• at or to a lower part of (a river or stream); nearer the sea:a dozen miles or so down the Mississippi
• moving or at a point further along the course of (something):he lived down the street I wandered down the road
• informal at or to (a place):tired of going down to the pub every night

• 2throughout (a period of time):astrologers down the ages

adjective

• 1 [attributive] directed or moving toward a lower place or position:the down escalator click on the down arrow
• Physics denoting a flavor of quark having a charge of  1/ 3. Protons and neutrons are thought to be composed of combinations of up and down quarks.

• 2 [predic.] unhappy; depressed:he’s been so down lately

• 3 [predic.] (of a computer system) temporarily out of action or unavailable:sorry, but the computer’s down

• 4 [predic.] US black slang supporting or going along with someone or something:“You going to the movies?” “Yo, I’m down.” you got to be down with me
• aware of and following the latest fashion:a seriously down, hip-hop homie

verb

• 1knock or bring to the ground:175 enemy aircraft had been downed he struck Slater on the face, downing him

• 2consume (something, typically a drink):he downed a six-pack
• (of a golfer) sink (a putt).

noun

• 1 Football 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.

• 2 (downs) informal unwelcome experiences or events:there had been more downs than ups during his years at the company

• 3 informal a feeling or period of unhappiness or depression:everyone gets their downs, their depressive periods
• informalshort for downer (sense 1).