down

adverb, preposition, verb, adjective, noun

HELPNOTE For the special uses of down in phrasal verbs, look at the entries for the verbs. For example climb down is in the phrasal verb section at climb. 1 to or at a lower place or position: She jumped down off the chair. * He looked down at her. * We watched as the sun went down. * She bent down to pick up her glove. * Mary's not down yet (= she is still upstairs). * The baby can't keep any food down (= in her body). 2 from a standing or upright position to a sitting or horizontal one: Please sit down. * He had to go and lie down for a while. 3 at a lower level or rate: Prices have gone down recently. * We're already two goals down (= the other team has two goals more). 4 used to show that the amount or strength of sth is lower, or that there is less activity: Turn the music down! * The class settled down and she began the lesson. 5 (in a CROSSWORD) reading from top to bottom, not from side to side: I can't do 3 down. 6 to or in the south of a country: They flew down to Texas. * Houses are more expensive down south. 7 on paper; on a list: Did you get that down? * I always write everything down. * Have you got me down for the trip? 8 used to show the limits in a range or an order: Everyone will be there, from the Principal down. 9 having lost the amount of money mentioned: At the end of the day we were ｣20 down. 10 if you pay an amount of money down, you pay that to start with, and the rest later 11 (informal) used to say how far you have got in a list of things you have to do: Well, I've seen six apartments so far. That's six down and four to go! IDIOMS be down to sb (informal) to be the responsibility of sb: It's down to you to check the door. be down to sb/sth to be caused by a particular person or thing: She claimed her problems were down to the media. be down to sth to have only a little money left: I'm down to my last dollar. be / go down with sth to have or catch an illness down through sth (written) during a long period of time: Down through the years this town has seen many changes. down under (informal) in Australia down with sb/sth used to say that you are opposed to sth, or to a person: The crowds chanted 'Down with NATO!' preposition 1 from a high or higher point on sth to a lower one: The stone rolled down the hill. * Tears ran down her face. * Her hair hung down her back to her waist. 2 along; towards the direction in which you are facing: He lives just down the street. * Go down the road till you reach the traffic lights. * There's a bridge a mile down the river from here. 3 all through a period of time: an exhibition of costumes down the ages (= from all periods of history) verb [VN] (informal) 1 to finish a drink or eat sth quickly: We downed our coffees and left. 2 to force sb/sth down to the ground: to down a plane * Storms downed trees and power lines. IDIOMS down tools (BrE) (of workers) to stop work; to go on strike adjective [notbeforenoun] 1 (informal) sad or depressed: I feel a bit down today. 2 (of a computer or computer system) not working: The system was down all morning. seealsoDOWNTIME IDIOMS see HITv., KICKv., LUCKn., MOUTHn.