Downing

[dou-ning] Origin

Down·ing

[dou-ning]
noun
Andrew Jackson, 1815–52, U.S. landscape architect.
Dictionary.com Unabridged

down

1[doun]
adverb
1.
from higher to lower; in descending direction or order; toward, into, or in a lower position: to come down the ladder.
2.
on or to the ground, floor, or bottom: He fell down.
3.
to or in a sitting or lying position.
4.
to or in a position, area, or district considered lower, especially from a geographical or cartographic standpoint, as to the south, a business district, etc.: We drove from San Francisco down to Los Angeles.
5.
to or at a lower value or rate.
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6.
to a lesser pitch or volume: Turn down the radio.
7.
in or to a calmer, less active, or less prominent state: The wind died down.
8.
from an earlier to a later time: from the 17th century down to the present.
9.
from a greater to a lesser strength, amount, etc.: to water down liquor.
10.
in an attitude of earnest application: to get down to work.
11.
on paper or in a book: Write down the address.
12.
in cash at the time of purchase; at once: We paid $50 down and $20 a month.
13.
to the point of defeat, submission, inactivity, etc.: They shouted down the opposition.
14.
in or into a fixed or supine position: They tied down the struggling animal.
15.
to the source or actual position: The dogs tracked down the bear.
16.
into a condition of ill health: He's come down with a cold.
17.
in or into a lower status or condition: kept down by lack of education.
18.
Nautical. toward the lee side, so as to turn a vessel to windward: Put the helm down!
19.
Slang. on toast (as used in ordering a sandwich at a lunch counter or restaurant): Give me a tuna down.
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preposition
20.
in a descending or more remote direction or place on, over, or along: They ran off down the street.
adjective
21.
downward; going or directed downward: the down escalator.
22.
being at a low position or on the ground, floor, or bottom.
23.
toward the south, a business district, etc.
24.
associated with or serving traffic, transportation, or the like, directed toward the south, a business district, etc.: the down platform.
25.
downcast; depressed; dejected: You seem very down today.
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26.
ailing, especially, sick and bedridden: He's been down with a bad cold.
27.
being the portion of the full price, as of an article bought on the installment plan, that is paid at the time of purchase or delivery: a payment of $200 down.
28.
Football. (of the ball) not in play.
29.
Slang.
a.
agreeing, supporting, or understanding: I'm totally down with that. He's down with those kids.
b.
sophisticated or hip; cool: That music is down.
30.
behind an opponent or opponents in points, games, etc.: The team won the pennant despite having been down three games in the final week of play.
31.
Baseball. out.
32.
losing or having lost the amount indicated, especially at gambling: After an hour at poker, he was down $10.
33.
having placed one's bet: Are you down for the fourth race?
34.
finished, done, considered, or taken care of: five down and one to go.
35.
out of order: The computer has been down all day.
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noun
36.
a downward movement; descent.
37.
a turn for the worse; reverse: The business cycle experienced a sudden down.
38.
Football.
a.
one of a series of four plays during which a team must advance the ball at least 10 yards (9 meters) to keep possession of it.
b.
the declaring of the ball as down or out of play, or the play immediately preceding this.
39.
Slang. an order of toast at a lunch counter or restaurant.
40.
Slang. downer (defs. 1a, b).
verb (used with object)
41.
to put, knock, or throw down; subdue: He downed his opponent in the third round.
42.
to drink down, especially quickly or in one gulp: to down a tankard of ale.
43.
Informal. to defeat in a game or contest: The Mets downed the Dodgers in today's game.
44.
to cause to fall from a height, especially by shooting: Antiaircraft guns downed ten bombers.
verb (used without object)
45.
to go down; fall.
interjection
46.
(used as a command to a dog to stop attacking, to stop jumping on someone, to get off a couch or chair, etc.): Down, Rover!
47.
(used as a command or warning to duck, take cover, or the like): Down! They're starting to shoot!
48.
down and out, down-and-out.
49.
down cold/pat, mastered or learned perfectly: Another hour of studying and I'll have the math lesson down cold.
50.
down in the mouth, discouraged; depressed; sad.
51.
down on, Informal. hostile or averse to: Why are you so down on sports?
52.
down with!
a.
away with! cease!: Down with tyranny!
b.
on or toward the ground or into a lower position: Down with your rifles!

Origin:
before 1100; Middle English doune, Old English dūne, aphetic variant of adūne for of dūne off (the) hill; see a-2, down3

un·downed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

down
O.E. dun "hill," from Celtic word for "hill, citadel" (cf. O.Ir. dun "hill, hill fort," and second element in place names London, Verdun, etc.), from PIE base *dheue- "to close, finish, come full circle" (cf. O.E. dun "hill," M.Du. dune "sandy hill"). Meaning "elevated rolling grassland" is from c.1300.
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COLLAPSE
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang Dictionary

down (with (so)) definition


  1. mod.
    friends with someone; to be okay or on good terms with someone. (Down = okay.) : It's okay. I'm down with Chuck.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source
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