Word: down Part of Speech: adv Etymology: From Middle English doun, doune (“down”), from Old English dūne (“down”), aphetic form of adūne (“down, downward”), from earlier ofdūne (“down”, literally “off the hill”), from of (“of, off of”) + dūn (“hill, mount, dune, down”). More at Etymology 2 below. For the development from directional phrases to prepositions, compare Old Frisian dene (“down”, adverb, literally “(to the) floor”), Middle Low German dāle (“down, downwards”, literally “(in/to the) dale/valley”), whence German Low German dal (“down”). Compare also Saterland Frisian deel (“down”, literally “to/into the dale”), West Frisian del (“down”). Cognate with Scots doon (“down”). Pronunciation: /ˈdaʊ̯n/, /ˈdʌʊ̯n/, [dəu̯n], /ˈdæʊ̯n/, /ˈdaːn/ 1. From a higher position to a lower one; downwards. Labels: comparable, not-comparable, usually Example: The cat jumped down from the table. Example: She was so mad she wouldn't speak to me for quite a spell, but at last I coaxed her into going up to Miss Emmeline's room and fetching down a tintype of the missing Deacon man. 2. To or towards what is considered the bottom of something, irrespective of whether this is presently physically lower. Labels: not-comparable, usually Example: Go down to the bottom of the page. Example: As I lay on my back, a pain shot down from my neck to my waist. 3. At a lower or further place or position along a set path. Labels: comparable, not-comparable, usually Example: His place is farther down the road. Example: The company was well down the path to bankruptcy. 4. To the south (as south is at the bottom of typical maps). Labels: not-comparable, usually Example: I went down to Miami for a conference. 5. Away from the city (regardless of direction). Labels: not-comparable, usually Example: He went down to Cavan. Example: down on the farm 6. At or towards any place that is visualised as 'down' by virtue of local features or local convention, or arbitrarily, irrespective of direction or elevation change. Labels: not-comparable, usually Example: She lives down by the park. 7. Forward, straight ahead. Labels: not-comparable, usually Example: At the first intersection turn left and walk down, then turn right. 8. In the direction leading away from the principal terminus, away from milepost zero. Labels: not-comparable, usually 9. Away from Oxford or Cambridge. Labels: UK, dated, not-comparable, usually Example: He's gone back down to Newcastle for Christmas. 10. To a subordinate or less prestigious position or rank. Labels: not-comparable, usually Example: Smith was sent down to the minors to work on his batting. Example: After the incident, Kelly went down to Second Lieutenant. 11. Towards the opponent's side (in ball-sports). Labels: not-comparable, usually Example: The charity match, played Sunday afternoon at Cirencester Park Polo Club in Gloucestershire, reached a dramatic climax when Prince Harry tore down the pitch but failed to score what was described as an “open goal”. Example: By moving further down the pitch, the batsman lengthens the distance between the ball and the stumps. 12. So as to lessen quantity, level or intensity. Labels: not-comparable, usually Example: You need to tone down the rhetoric. Example: Please turn the music down! 13. So as to reduce size, weight or volume. Labels: not-comparable, usually Example: Trim the stick down to a length of about twelve inches. Example: Thanks to my strict diet, I've slimmed down to eleven stone. 14. From less to greater detail. Labels: not-comparable, usually Example: This spreadsheet lets you drill down to daily or even hourly sales figures. Example: Economics is a messy discipline: too fluid to be a science, too rigorous to be an art. Perhaps it is fitting that economists’ most-used metric, gross domestic product (GDP), is a tangle too. GDP measures the total value of output in an economic territory. Its apparent simplicity explains why it is scrutinised down to tenths of a percentage point every month. 15. From a remoter or higher antiquity. Labels: not-comparable, usually Example: These traditions have been handed down over generations. Example: Venerable men! you have come down to us from a former generation. 16. Into a state of non-operation. Labels: not-comparable, usually Example: The computer has been shut down. Example: They closed the shop down. 17. So as to secure or compress something to the floor, ground, or other (usually horizontal) surface. Labels: not-comparable, usually Example: We need to nail down this carpet so people don't keep tripping over it. 18. On paper (or in a durable record). Labels: not-comparable, usually Example: You need to write down what happened while it's still fresh in your mind. 19. So as to be cowed into silence. Labels: not-comparable, usually Example: The speaker was heckled and shouted down. Example: The comedy club's audience was known for hooting down timid performers. 20. As a down payment. Labels: not-comparable, usually Example: We put £100 down on a new sofa. Example: You can have it, no money down. 21. In a downwards direction; vertically. Labels: not-comparable, usually Example: I'm stuck on 11 down. 22. Used with verbs to indicate that the action of the verb was carried to some state of completion, permanence, or success rather than being of indefinite duration. Labels: not-comparable, usually Example: He closed operations. / He closed down operations. Example: He chased answers. / He chased down answers. 23. Get down. Labels: imperative, not-comparable, usually Example: Down, boy! (such as to direct a dog to stand on four legs from two, or to sit from standing on four legs.)