down

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

down /daʊn/ prep

1. used to indicate movement from a higher to a lower position: they went down the mountain
2. at a lower or further level or position on, in, or along: he ran down the street

adv

1. downwards; at or to a lower level or position: don't fall down
2. (particle) used with many verbs when the result of the verb's action is to lower or destroy its object: pull down, knock down, bring down
3. (particle) used with several verbs to indicate intensity or completion: calm down
4. immediately: cash down
5. on paper: write this down
6. arranged; scheduled: the meeting is down for next week
7. in a helpless position: they had him down on the ground
8. away from a more important place: down from London
9. away from a more northerly place: down from Scotland
10. (of a member of some British universities) away from the university; on vacation
11. in a particular part of a country: down south
12. (of a helm) having the rudder to windward
13. reduced to a state of lack or want: down to the last pound
14. lacking a specified amount: at the end of the day the cashier was ten pounds down
15. lower in price: bacon is down
16. including all intermediate terms, grades, people, etc: from managing director down to tea-lady
17. from an earlier to a later time: the heirloom was handed down
18. to a finer or more concentrated state: to grind down, boil down
19. being a specified number of points, goals, etc behind another competitor, team, etc: six goals down
20. (of a person) being inactive, owing to illness: down with flu
21. (functioning as imperative) (to dogs): down Rover!
22. down with ⇒ (functioning as imperative) wanting the end of somebody or something: down with the king!
23. get down on something ⇒ Austral NZ to procure something, esp in advance of needs or in anticipation of someone else

adj

1. (postpositive) depressed or miserable
2. (prenominal) of or relating to a train or trains from a more important place or one regarded as higher: the down line
3. (postpositive) (of a device, machine, etc, esp a computer) temporarily out of action
4. made in cash: a down payment
5. down to ⇒ the responsibility or fault of: this defeat was down to me

vb

1. (transitive) to knock, push or pull down
2. (transitive) informal to drink, esp quickly: he downed three gins
3. (transitive) to bring (someone) down, esp by tackling

n

1. one of a maximum of four consecutive attempts by one team to advance the ball a total of at least ten yards
2. a descent; downward movement
3. a lowering or a poor period (esp in the phrase ups and downs)
4. have a down on ⇒ informal to bear ill will towards (someone or something)

Etymology: Old English dūne, short for adūne, variant of of dūne, literally: from the hill, from of, off + dūn hill; see down³

down /daʊn/ n

1. the soft fine feathers with free barbs that cover the body of a bird and prevent loss of heat. In the adult they lie beneath and between the contour feathers
2. another name for eiderdown
3. a fine coating of soft hairs, as on certain leaves, fruits, and seeds
4. any growth or coating of soft fine hair, such as that on the human face

Etymology: 14th Century: of Scandinavian origin; related to Old Norse dūnn

down /daʊn/ n

1. archaic a hill, esp a sand dune
   See also downs

Etymology: Old English dūn; related to Old Frisian dūne, Old Saxon dūna hill, Old Irish dūn fortress, Greek this sandbank; see dune, town

Down /daʊn/ n

1. a district of SE Northern Ireland, in Co Down. Pop: 65 195 (2003 est). Area: 649 sq km (250 sq miles)
2. a historical county of SE Northern Ireland, on the Irish Sea: generally hilly, rising to the Mountains of Mourne: in 1973 it was replaced for administrative purposes by the districts of Ards, Banbridge, Castlereagh, Down, Newry and Mourne, North Down, and part of Lisburn. Area: 2466 sq km (952 sq miles)

In the English description: