down

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
down1

▶adverb

• 1 towards or in a lower place or position.

  ■ to or at a place perceived as lower.

  ■ away from the north.

  ■ Brit. away from the capital or major city.

  ■ Brit. away from a university, especially Oxford or Cambridge.

• 2 to or at a lower level or value.

  ■ to a smaller amount or size, or a simpler or more basic state.

  ■ from an earlier to a later point in time or order.

• 3 in or into a weaker or worse position, mood, or condition.

  ■ (of a computer system) out of action.

• 4 so as to lie flush or flat.

• 5 in or into writing.

  ■ on or on to a list or record.

• 6 (with reference to partial payment of a sum of money) made initially or on the spot.

• 7 (of sailing) with the current or the wind.

  ■ (of a ship's helm) moved round to leeward.

• 8 American Football (of the ball or a player in possession) not in play.

▶preposition

• 1 from a higher to a lower point of.

• 2 at a point further along the course of.

  ■ along the course or extent of.

• 3 throughout (a period of time).

• 4 informal at or to (a place).

▶adjective

• 1 directed or moving towards a lower place or position.

  ■ denoting trains travelling away from the main terminus.

• 2 unhappy.

• 3 (of a computer system) out of action.

• 4 US black slang supporting or going along with.

  ■ following the latest fashion.

• 5 Physics denoting a flavour of quark having a charge of −1/3.

▶verb informal

• 1 knock or bring to the ground.

• 2 consume (a drink).

• 3 (of a golfer) sink (a putt).

▶noun

• 1 (downs) informal unwelcome events.

• 2 informal a period of unhappiness.

• 3 American Football a chance for a team to advance the ball, ending when the ball carrier is tackled or the ball becomes out of play.

– phrases
be (or have a) down on Brit. informal feel hostile towards.
be down to

• 1 be attributable to (a factor).

  ■ be the responsibility of.

• 2 be left with only (the specified amount).

down and dirty N. Amer. informal

• 1 highly competitive or unprincipled.

• 2 raw and uninhibited.

down at heel

• 1 (of a shoe) having a worn heel.

• 2 shabby or impoverished.

down in the mouth informal unhappy.
down on one's luck informal having a period of bad luck.
down to the ground informal completely; totally.
down tools Brit. informal stop work.
down with —— expressing strong dislike.

– origin OE dūn, dūne, shortened from adūne ‘downward’, from the phr. of dūne ‘off the hill’ (see down3).

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
down2

▶noun

• 1 soft, fine feathers forming the covering of a young bird or an insulating layer below the contour feathers of an adult bird, used for stuffing cushions and quilts.

• 2 fine, soft hair on a person's skin.

  ■ short, soft hairs on leaves, fruit, or seeds.

– origin ME: from ON dúnn.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
down3

▶noun a gently rolling hill.

■ (the Downs) ridges of undulating chalk and limestone hills in southern England.

– origin OE dūn ‘hill’, perh. ult. of Celtic origin and rel. to Old Ir. dún and obs. Welsh din ‘fort’.