down 
down 2 (doun), adv. [Early mod. E. also downe, 
doune; < ME. (loan, doun, doune, earlier dune, 
dun, down, abbr. of adune, adun, E. adown l (. 
AS. ddun, adune, also of -dune, adv., down, orig. 
of dune, i. e., from (the) hill: of, off, from; dune, 
dat. of dun, a hill: see down 1 , n. Cf. adown, 
adv., of which down 2 is an aphetic form.] 1. 
In a descending direction; from a higher to 
a lower place, degree, or condition : as, to look 
down; to run down; the temperature is down 
to zero. 
And aftre is Libye the hye, and Lybye the lowe, that dc- 
Bcendethe down toward the grete See of Spayne. 
Mandeville, Travels, p. 263. 
He's ta'en down the bush o' woodbine, 
Hung atween her hour and the witch carline. 
Willie's Ladye (Child's Ballads, I. 167). 
2. In a direction from a source or starting- 
point, from a more to a less important place or 
situation, or the like : as, to sail down toward 
the mouth of a stream; to go down into the 
country. 
In the evening I went down to the port at the mouth of 
the river. Pococke, Description of the East, I. 129. 
3. In a descending order; from that which is 
higher or earlier in a series or progression to 
that which is lower or later. 
From God's Justice he comes down to Man's Justice, 
Milton, Eikonoklastes, xxvi. 
And lest I should be wearied, madam, 
To cut things short, come down to Adam. 
Prior, Alma, ii. 
The Papacy had lost all authority with all classes, from 
the great feudal prince doom to the cultivators of the soil. 
Macaulay, Von Kanke. 
4. In mime, from a more acute to a less acute 
pitch. 5. From a greater to a less bulk, de- 
gree of consistency, etc. : as, to boil doivn a 
decoction. 6. To or at a lower rate or point, 
as to price, demand, etc. ; below a standard 
or requirement : as, to mark down goods or the 
prices of goods ; the stocks sold down to a very 
low figure ; to beat down a tradesman. 
I brought him down to your two butter-teeth, and them 
he would have. B. Jonson, Every Man in his Humour, i. 4. 
7. Below the horizon: as, the sun or moon is 
down. 
At the day of date of euen-songe, 
On oure byfore the sonne go doun. 
Alliterative Poems (ed. Morris), i. 529. 
'Tis Hesperus there he stands with glittering crown, 
First admonition that the sun is doim .' 
Wordsworth, Tintern Abbey. 
8. From an erect or standing to a prostrate or 
overturned position or condition : as, to beat 
down the walls of a city ; to knock a man down. 
The creest and the coronalle, the claspes of sylver, 
Clenly with his clubb he crasschede doune at onez. 
Morte Arthurs (E. E. T. S.), 1. 1108. 
Pelleas . . . 
Cast himself down ; and ... lay 
At random looking over the brown earth. 
Tennyson, Pelleas and Ettarre. 
9. In or into a low, fallen, overturned, pros- 
trate, or downcast position or condition, as a 
state of discomfiture ; at the bottom or lowest 
point, either literally or figuratively : as, never 
kick a man when he is down; to put down a 
rebellion ; to be taken down with a fever. 
And thys holy place ys callyd Sancta Maria De Spasimo. 
Seynt Elyne byldyd a chirche ther, but yt ys Downs. 
Torkington, Diarie of Ellg. Travel!, p. 32. 
He that is down needs fear no fall. 
Banyan, Pilgrim's Progress, ii. 
His [Shaftesbury'sl disposition led him generally to do 
his utmost to exalt the side which was up, and to depress 
the side which was doum. Macaulay, Sir William Temple. 
There is a chill air surrounding those who are down in 
the world. George Eliot, Mill on the Floss, iv. 2. 
Hence 10. Into disrepute or disgrace ; so as 
to discredit or defeat : as, to preach down error ; 
to write down an opponent or his character; to 
run dffivn a business enterprise. 
He shar'd our dividend o' the crown 
We had so painfully preach'd down. 
S. Butler, Hudibras. 
11. On or to the ground. 
No shot did ever hit them, nor could ever any Conspir- 
ator attaine that honor as to get them down?. 
Capt. John Smith, True Travels, I. 44. 
In our natural Pace one Foot cannot he up till the 
other be down. Howett, Letters, I. iii. 1. 
12. On the counter; hence, in hand: as, he 
bought it for cash down ; he paid part down and 
gave his note for the balance. 
I will kneel to you, pray for you, pay down 
A thousand hourly vows, sir, for your health. 
B. Jonson, Volpone, iii. 6. 
Can't you trust one another, without such Earnest 
dawn > Steele, Conscious Lovers, iii. 1. 
1750 
13. Elliptically: in an imperative or interjec- 
tional use, the imperative verb (go, come, get, 
fall, kneel, etc.) being omitted, (a) Used absolute- 
ly : as, down / dog, down / 
Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the dnke. 
Shak., M. of V., iv. 1. 
Down, thou climbing sorrow, 
Thy element's below ! Shak., Lear, ii. 4. 
(b) Followed by with, being then equivalent to a transitive 
verb with down (put, pull, take down), in either a literal 
or a denunciatory sense : as, doirn with the sail ! down 
with it ! down with tyranny ! 
Down with the palace, fire it Drydm. 
14. On paper or in a book: with write, jot, set, 
put, or other verb applicable to writing. 
This day is holy ; doe ye write it down*, 
That ye for ever it remember may. 
Spenser, Epithalamion. 
Doesn't Mr. Fosbrook let you take places for a play be- 
fore it is advertised, and set you down for a box for every 
new piece through the season ? Sheridan, The Critic, i. 1. 
15. In place, position, or occupation; firmly; 
closely. 
He [a worshiper] that sees another composed in his 
behaviour throughout, and fixed down to the holy duty he 
is engaged in, grows ashamed of his own indifference and 
indecencies, his spiritual dissipations and dryness. 
Bp. Atterbury, Sermons, II. xix. 
Down Charge ! a command to a dog to lie down, used 
when shooting with pointers or setters. Down east, in 
or into Maine or the regions bordering on the eastern sea- 
coast of New England. [U. S.] Down in the mouth. 
See mouth. Down south, in or into the Southern States. 
[U. S.] Down to date. See dofei. Down with the 
dust, down with the helm, etc. See the nouns. To 
back down, bear down, bring down, etc. See the 
verbs. To be down at heel. See heel\ . To be down 
on one's luck, to be in ill luck. To be down upon or 
on, to fall upon ; attack ; berate ; hence, to be angry or 
out of humor with. [Colloq.J 
Be kerful yer don't git no green ones in among 'em, else 
Hepsy '11 be down on me. //. B. Stowe, Oldtown, p. 180. 
To come down on, to come down with. See come. 
To lay down, figuratively, to state or expound, especial- 
ly emphatically or authoritatively : as, to lay down a prin- 
ciple. To lay down the law, to give emphatic com- 
mands or reproof. Union down. See fag of distress, 
uiiderto/s.Up and down. Seewp. 
down 2 (doun), prep. [Early mod. E. also downe, 
doune; < down, adv. Cf. adown, prep., of which 
down 2 is an aphetic form. The prepositional 
use of the aphetic form does not appear in ME. 
or AS.] 1. In a descending direction upon or 
along, either literally, as from a higher toward 
a lower level or position, or from a point or 
place which is regarded as higher ; adown : as, 
to glance down a page ; to ramble down the val- 
ley ; to sail down a stream; an excursion down 
the bay; down the road. 
Many do travel downe this river from Turin to Venice. 
Coryat, Crudities, I. 97. 
When the wind is down the range, i. e., blowing from 
the archer toward the target, the elevation of the bow-hand 
must be lessened. M. and W. Thompson, Archery, p. 39. 
2. Along the course or progress of : as, down the 
ages. Down the country, toward the sea, or toward 
the part where rivers discharge their waters into the ocean. 
down 2 (doun), a. and n. [< down 2 , adv.] I. a. 
1. Cast or directed downward; downcast; de- 
jected : as, a down look. 
Thou art so down, upon the least disaster ! 
B. Jonson, Alchemist, iv. 4. 
A down countenance he had, as if he would have looked 
thirty mile into hell. Middleton, The Black Book. 
2f. Downright; plain; positive. 
Her many down denials. Fletcher, Valentinlan. 
3. Downward; that goes down, or on a road 
regarded as down : as, a down train or boat. 
Down beat, in music : (a) The downward motion of a con- 
ductor's hand or baton, by which the primary and initial 
accent or pulse of each measure is marked, (b) The ac- 
cent or pulse thus marked. Down bow, in violin-play- 
iny, the stroke of the bow from nut to point, made by low- 
ering the right arm : often indicated by the sign i i. 
II. n. A downward movement ; a low state ; 
a reverse : as, the ups and downs of fortune. 
A woman who had age enough, and experience enough 
in downs as well as ups. F. Ii. Stockton, The Dusantes, iii. 
down 2 (doun), v. [< down 2 , adv.] I. trans. To 
cause to go down, (o) To put, throw, or knock down ; 
overthrow ; subdue : as, to down a man with a blow. 
The hidden beauties seem'd in wait to lie, 
To down proud hearts that would not willing die. 
Sir P. Sidney, Arcadia, i. 
I remember how you downed Beauclerck and Hamilton, 
the wits, once at our house. Mine. D'Arblay. 
(b) To discourage ; dishearten ; dispirit [Obsolete or col- 
loquial in both senses.] 
The lusty Courser, that late scorn'd the ground, 
Now lank and lean, with crest and courage downd. 
Sylvester, tr. of Du Bartas's Weeks, ii., The Schisme. 
II. intrans. To go down, (a) To descend; sink; 
fall. 
When one pulleth down his fellow, they must needs 
down both of them. Latimer, Sermon bef. Edw. VI., 1550. 
downcastness 
And you may know by my size that I have a kind of 
alacrity in sinking ; if the bottom were as deep as hell, I 
should down. Shak., M. W. of W., iii. 5. 
If we must doum, let us like cedars fall. 
Beau, and Fl. (Y), Faithful Friends, v. 1. 
Does he instantly down upon his knees in mute, be- 
cause ecstatic, acknowledgment of the Highest? 
H. James, Subs, and Shad., p. 301. 
(b) To go down the throat ; hence, to be palatable ; be ac- 
ceptable or trustworthy. 
This will not down with me ; I dare not trust 
This fellow. Beau, and Fl., Woman-Hater, iv. 2. 
If he at any time calls for victuals between meals, use 
him nothing but dry bread. If he be hungry more than 
wanton, bread alone will down. Locke, Education, 14. 
down 3 (doun), n. [Early mod. E. also dotnie, 
doune; < ME. down, downe, doun= MLG. dune, 
LG. dune (> G. daune), f. (perhaps of Scand. 
origin), = Icel. dunn, m., = Sw. Dan. dun, 
down. Prob. not connected with MD. donse, 
donst, down, flock, pollen, D. dons, down: see 
dust.] 1. The fine soft covering of fowls under 
the feathers ; the fine soft feathers which con- 
stitute the under plumage of birds, as dis- 
tinguished from contour-feathers, particularly 
when thick and copious, as in swans, ducks, 
and other water-fowls. The eider-duck yields 
most of the down of commerce. See down- 
feather. 
He has laid her on a bed of down, his ain dear Annie. 
Bonnie Annie (Child's Ballads, III. 48). 
Instead of Down, hard Beds they chose to have, 
Such as might bid them not forget their Grave. 
Cowley, Davideis, i. 
2. The first feathering of a bird; the downy 
plumage or floccus with which a prsecocial bird 
is clothed when hatched, or that which an al- 
tricial bird first acquires. 3. The soft hair of 
the human face when beginning to appear. 
Here they also found the statue ... of naked Castor, 
having a hat on his head, his chin a little covered with 
doune. Sandys, Travailes, p. 224. 
The first down begins to shade his face. Dryden. 
4. A fine soft pubescence upon plants and some 
fruits ; also, the light feathery pappus or coma 
upon seeds by which they are borne upon the 
wind, as in the dandelion and thistle. 
As he saith, in truncke who wol hem doo 
Must pike away the downe of alle the tree. 
Palladius, Husbondrie (E. E. T. S.), p. 195. 
A part of Margaret's work for the season was gleaning 
from the bounties of forest and field ; and, aided by Rose, 
she got quantities of walnuts, chestnuts, and vegetable 
down. S. Judd, Margaret, ii. 6. 
In the down, downy ; covered with down-feathers, as a 
chick, duckling, orgoslingwhenjusthatched. Seejloccus. 
To drive down. See drive. 
downa (dou'na). [Sc. i. e., dow na : see dow* ; 
na = E.no,adv.,not; cf . canna 3 , dinna.] Can- 
not. See dow 1 , 3. [Scotch.] 
downbear (doun'bar), v. t. [< down 2 , adv., + 
bear 1 .] To bear down; depress. 
down-beard (doun'berd), n. The downy or 
winged seed of the thistle. [Rare.] 
It is frightful to think how every idle volume flies abroad 
like an idle globular downbeard, embryo of new millions. 
Carlyle, Misc., IV. 263. 
down-bed (doun'bed), n. A bed stuffed with 
down; hence, a very soft, luxurious bed. 
You must not look for down-beds here, nor hangings, 
Though I could wish ye strong ones. 
Fletcher (and another), Sea Voyage, i. 4. 
down-by (doun'bi), adv. [< down 2 , adv., + by, 
adv.] Down the way. [Scotch.] 
downcast (doun'kast), a. and n. I. a. 1. Cast or 
directed downward: as, a downcast eye or look. 
Eyes downcast for shame. 
William Morris, Earthly Paradise, I. 144. 
Hence 2. Depressed; dejected: as, & down- 
cast spirit. 
Downcast he [Lessing] could never be, for his strongest 
instinct, invaluable to him also as a critic, was to see 
things as they really are. 
Lowell, Among my Books, 1st ser., p. 315. 
3. In mining, descending. The current of air taken 
from the surface to ventilate the interior of a coal-mine 
is called the downcast current, and the shaft through which 
it is conveyed the downcast shaft. 
II. n. 1. A downward look: generally im- 
plying sadness or pensiveness. 
That down-cosf of thine eye, Olympias, 
Shews a fine sorrow. 
Beau, and Fl., Maid's Tragedy, ii. 2. 
I saw the respectful Downcast of his Eyes, when you 
catcht him gazing at you during the Musick. 
Steele, Conscious Lovers, ii. 1. 
2. In mining, the ventilating shaft down which 
the air passes in circulating through a mine, 
downcastness (douu'kast-nes), n. The state 
of being downcast ; dejectedness. 
Your doubts to chase, your downcastness to cheer. 
D. X. Moir. 
