to cascade down

4 4.2

To fall or flow quickly in large amounts like a waterfall

phrasal verb

: cascadear

Great sheets of water are pouring through an upper doorway and cascading down like monsoon rain.
Water cascaded down
cascade down a cliff
stream that cascades down

And, you know, if you just arrange it in a way that, I don't know, your little flowers cascade down and you have a little spring cake.

Examples

Each movement sent a miniature mudslide cascading down into the water.

Fiction book (1995)
The waterfall cascades down the cliff, creating a beautiful mist in the air.
It's got a big stone and then they cascade down the side of it.
The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light.

Blog text (16)
She's holding one corner of it with her left hand, and the rest cascades down her back.
The hair on nearly all of them cascaded down below their buns.

Fiction book (1991)
The boy jumps, cascading down the falls and into the pond below.

Fiction book (1992)
There wasn't a sound except the rush of water cascading down the stairs.

Fiction book (2000)
The pump sends the water to the top of the funnel, from where it cascades down.

Disgruntled (2008)
Snow fell from trees and small stones cascaded down a steep gully.

Fiction book (1992)

Synonyms

to fall

vsto cascade down

∞ 1.0

Move or drop down from a higher to a lower place

focuses on large volume and rapid cascade rather than single drops

to pour

vsto cascade down

588 1.0

To make liquid flow in a steady stream from a container

is like this but emphasizes faster, waterfall-style volume

to rain down

vsto cascade down

36 3.4

Fall from above in large amounts, like ash or confetti

is more concentrated and forceful than scattered falling amounts

to drop down

vsto cascade down

34 1.8

To fall from a higher place to a lower place

concerns mass, fast, and continuous downward flow rather than single falls

to run down

vsto cascade down

31 2.5

To flow down a surface like water on a window

implies quicker, larger volume falling rather than a surface trickle

to pour out

vsto cascade down

18 2.9

Move out of a building in large numbers

focuses on downward pouring in place rather than outward emergence

to cascade

vsto cascade down

17 4.7

To move or fall quickly in large amounts, like a waterfall

is the two-word phrasing of the same idea

to wash down

vsto cascade down

4 3.3

To move along with a strong flow of water

describes falling rapidly in place rather than moving with a current

to shower down

vsto cascade down

1 3.5

To fall from above in large amounts, like rain or ash

is more about a continuous, concentrated downward flood

to flow downstream

vsto cascade down

1 2.6

Move with a river's current toward a lower place

is about sudden, large downward flow rather than gradual downstream motion

to sluice down

vsto cascade down

1 7.6

Flow quickly and strongly down a surface like water after heavy rain

is similar but usually less about mechanical release

to avalanche

vsto cascade down

5.5

To slide down a mountain in a large mass of snow

refers to flowing liquid rather than sliding solid masses

How Fast

to cascade down

4 4.2

to surge

57 4.1

to gush

26 3.2

to drip down

12 1.4

to seep

82 2.7

Surface Forms

cascade down infinitive

cascade downed past

cascade downed past participle

cascading down present participle

cascades down third person singular

Morphology

cascade + down

The verb 'cascade' already means to fall or flow quickly in volume, and adding 'down' simply specifies downward direction; a learner who knows both words can derive the meaning directly. This verb+particle composition follows a common, compositional pattern (reinforcing direction), so the expression is immediately comprehensible to B1 learners.

Etymology

Cascade down comes from the picture of water falling like many small waterfalls. Imagine water that cascades over rocks and runs down in long, shining streams, so the phrase now means 'to flow or fall downward quickly'.