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to down

to down

∞ 5.5
Cause someone or something to fall and be defeated
  • verb
  • /daʊn/
: derribar
  • The heavy wind downed several trees during the storm.
  • downed trees
  • downed pilots
  • downed timber

He brought his fists down and the hammer with it.

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Examples

  • He was so determined to win that he downed his opponent with a single punch.

  • And removing the downed trees might allow more room for new growth.

    Academic text (2010)
  • And we'll bring it down and then there we go.

  • They burned the whole town down, but it will rise again.

  • We just downed five guards.

  • The crowd around the downed man parts to allow passage to a police officer.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • We could use some of the downed trees as lumber for the house we were building.

    Academic text (2010)
  • Two guards jumped from the stage and felt for a pulse on the downed guard.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • Someone is still alive after the wreckage of the downed chopper.

  • 'We have a downed aircraft two miles east of checkpoint four.' - Number Three, acknowledge.

Synonyms

to bring down
vsto down
267 3.3

Move something or someone from a higher to a lower place, for example land an aircraft

is a more general act of causing a fall or defeat in many ways
to knock down
vsto down
167 3.0

Use force to make someone or something fall to the ground

is the broader verb for causing someone or something to fall or lose
to pull down
vsto down
149 3.2

To bring something or someone down from a higher place

is wider, covering any cause that makes things fall or fail
to shoot down
vsto down
149 4.4

Fire at a plane or missile so it falls to the ground

is more general, including aerial shooting among many ways to cause falling
to gun down
vsto down
  • Offensive
75 7.4

To shoot someone, often causing serious harm or death

is broader, covering shooting as one of several ways to cause falling or defeat
to cut down
vsto down
  • NSFW
41 3.6

To make a person or thing fall to the ground, often by force

is more general, not limited to cutting or violent methods alone
to strike down
vsto down
  • NSFW
33 6.8

Cause someone to fall, become sick, or die suddenly

is broader, focusing on any action that makes someone or something fall
to take down
vsto down
30 3.4

To destroy a building so it is level with the ground

is more general, applying to people, objects, or machines being caused to fall
to fell
vsto down
28 3.3

To cause something to fall, often by cutting it down

is less specific about method and covers many ways to cause falling
to floor
vsto down
21 4.8

To knock someone to the ground with force

is more general, covering any way of making someone or something fall
to run down
vsto down
15 5.5

To hit and pass over a person or animal with a vehicle

is wider, including vehicle strikes as one method of causing a fall or death
to ram down
vsto down
4 7.1

To force something down by hitting it hard

is broader, including many methods that result in falling or defeat

Antonyms

6 2.9

An act of lifting something to a higher position

Idioms

423 1.9

Moving both ways along the whole length of something

194 3.7

At a time in the future

deep down
  • Informal
180 3.5

In your real feelings or beliefs that you do not show

70 4.4

At some point in the future

hands down
  • Informal
44 3.2

Very easily and much better than others

A repeated movement where both feet leave the ground to show excitement

down memory lane
  • Informal
30 6.5

Remembering happy or important times from the past

down to the wire
  • Informal
21 7.0

Not decided until the very last moment before a deadline

13 5.5

Tell people firmly what they must do

12 7.7

Poor and without a home or money

10 8.8

To betray someone to get something for yourself

10 8.1

Completely unable to move or continue because of extreme tiredness

down pat
  • Informal
8 7.5

Learned so well you can do it without thinking

Prepare for trouble by taking steps to stay safe

To suddenly speak angrily and criticize someone for a small mistake

7 7.4

When things become very difficult and you must act

A sudden feeling of fear or excitement that moves along your back

6 5.8

Feeling sad and low

Sick with the flu and unable to go out

Found unprepared and embarrassed when something unexpected happens

hands-down
  • Informal
5 4.1

Won or achieved very easily without trying hard

5 5.9

Reach a point where the result is not decided until the last moment

To openly challenge someone in front of others

To continue until the last possible moment while the result is not known

Start talking about the most important details

Cause someone to feel a sudden strong fear or excitement

Make someone accept ideas or opinions they do not want by pressuring them

4 5.1

At a later time

Make someone feel a sudden strong fear or excitement

3 5.5

To make an audience clap and cheer loudly

3 4.2

Money people waste when they make a bad choice

Things that rise will later fall, for example prices or fortunes

2 7.6

Make someone feel less proud by criticizing or embarrassing them

To start dealing with the most important details

1 4.6

Having too much work or responsibility to manage

down a dark path
  • Informal
1 8.2

To start behaving in a bad or dangerous way that harms your life

1 7.8

Feeling sad or unhappy

Able to get better after a setback

1 8.1

Doing something that leads nowhere useful

1 9.9

Completely ruined or wasted and no longer useful

1 8.2

To take firm action to punish someone

Completely right for someone or something

1 6.5

Very tired and weighed down by too much work or worry

1 9.9

Aware of and interested in what young people like

Be perfect for someone or something

1 8.2

Looking old and in poor condition because of poverty

Help someone stop being sad and start smiling

To treat someone badly when they already have problems

To do something very well after a lot of practice

1 9.9

To criticize someone who stands out to make them seem less successful

The final careful stage of a task when you do the small details

To vomit into a toilet after drinking too much

Phrasal Verbs

∞ 1.0

Move from standing into a chair or onto the ground

∞ 2.8

To become lower, for example temperature or prices

∞ 2.9

Stop a machine, business, or system from working

∞ 1.0

To lower something from your hands onto a surface

to calm down
  • Informal
989 1.4

To become less angry, excited, or upset

893 1.4

To move or act more slowly

538 1.1

Put information on paper to help you remember it later

440 3.3

To search for someone or something until you find them

430 2.9

Make someone feel disappointed by not doing what you promised

403 1.0

To put your body flat on a bed to rest or sleep

389 1.9

To become less in amount, size, or value

373 2.9

Refuse an offer, invitation, or request

359 4.0

To depend on the main point

348 1.8

To crouch or kneel down to a lower position

337 3.8

To depend on one main thing

326 1.0

Suddenly move from a standing position to the ground or a lower level

300 3.6

To stop people or groups from becoming stronger

294 1.8

To move something from a high place to a lower place

291 3.0

To destroy a building or object completely by fire

289 3.7

To lose a competition or fight

267 3.3

Move something or someone from a higher to a lower place, for example land an aircraft

207 3.0

To remove something that is fixed or standing, for example stage equipment

206 2.8

To separate something into smaller parts to explain or study it

200 3.2

To stop working because of a problem

190 3.7

To destroy a building or other structure completely

175 2.9

To stop operating permanently, like a shop or company

167 3.0

Use force to make someone or something fall to the ground

166 2.5

To become quiet and calm after being excited

157 3.3

Give up an important job so someone else can take over

to bring down
  • Informal
153 4.3

Cause a person or thing to be worse, for example making someone feel sad

149 3.2

To bring something or someone down from a higher place

149 4.4

Fire at a plane or missile so it falls to the ground

147 2.7

Make the sound or heat from something lower, for example music

147 3.0

To start living a quiet, steady life by having a regular job or a family

146 3.7

To stop insisting because others oppose you

145 2.7

To make something smaller in amount or number

143 5.1

To stop doing a job, duty or action after someone tells you to

143 3.9

Search for and find someone or something after a lot of effort

137 3.5

Make a list of choices smaller until only a few remain

127 3.5

To climb down from a horse or similar animal

123 3.0

Make an amount or level lower

121 4.4

To start doing work or a task seriously

117 3.9

To lose control of your feelings and cry or collapse

108 3.5

To remove barriers that stop people from doing something

106 2.0

Make something move down by using force

98 4.0

To pull something down by weight or force

95 1.7

To put something or someone down gently on a surface

to boil down
  • Informal
93 4.2

Come to the main point or idea

90 1.8

To fall from a higher place to a lower place

Cause a big sudden change that leaves people confused

88 3.2

To keep something low and stop it from getting bigger

84 1.6

To move something from a high place to a lower place

82 3.8

To take strong action to stop illegal or wrong behavior

to take down
  • Informal
82 5.1

To say cruel things to make people think less of someone

78 4.6

To make a leader or government lose power

75 3.8

To sink into water, like a boat that hits something

to gun down
  • Offensive
75 7.4

To shoot someone, often causing serious harm or death

69 1.9

To make a tree or plant fall by cutting it at the base

to lay down
  • Formal
66 3.9

Officially set a rule or law that people must follow

to look down on
  • Offensive
66 3.7

Think you are better than someone and treat them as less important

62 4.1

Slowly make a person or thing weaker by repeated pressure

to put down
  • Offensive
62 4.9

To make someone feel unimportant by saying bad things about them

61 4.3

To become ill with a disease like a cold

60 1.0

Help someone into a seat by showing or guiding them

59 4.0

To be remembered for something important by many people

to wind down
  • Informal
59 3.7

To relax after a busy or stressful time and slowly come to an end

59 1.0

To move below the horizon, like the sun at sunset

to cool down
  • Informal
58 2.5

Feel less angry or excited

57 3.3

To say numbers backwards to zero before an event starts

57 2.4

To write something so you do not forget it

57 2.0

With the front side turned down toward a surface

56 3.7

To make something less strong, for example a sound, color or feeling

55 2.8

Give traditions, stories, or things to younger family members

Compounds

268 2.0

With the top where the bottom usually is

78 3.1

A first payment you make when you buy something and pay the rest in later payments

60 1.8

Turned so the top is where the bottom normally is

48 4.1

A person who is practical and sensible in a friendly, not showy way

44 3.6

A formal meal or meeting where people sit together to talk

43 4.4

In very poor condition and not working because of age or neglect

right-down
  • Informal
19 7.2

Shows that something is completely bad

18 3.0

A used piece of clothing or item given from one person to another

13 4.9

A quick search of someone's clothes by touching to find hidden items

12 3.1

A shirt or collar with the ends fastened by buttons

watered-down
  • Informal
11 4.6

Something that is less strong or useful because people change it to avoid problems

drop-down
  • Specialized
10 3.9

A list of choices that appears below when you click it

put-down
  • Offensive
9 6.6

A remark that makes someone feel small or embarrassed

Has only the basic parts and no extra features

8 4.6

A decrease in amount or level, for example moving to a lower job

man down
  • Jargon
8 6.5

A person who is injured or unable to move

A shirt with collar points that fasten down with buttons

stand-down
  • Jargon
5 6.3

A temporary pause in military activity to let troops rest and stop being on alert

drop-down menu
  • Specialized
5 3.2

A list of options that appears below a menu item so you can choose one

4 4.1

Carrying a heavy load like bags or boxes

A cake you bake with fruit on the bottom then flip so it sits on top

3 3.8

Soft fine feathers from under a goose used as warm filling

3 4.1

Owned before and then given or sold to another person

3 4.0

Describing clothing or objects that have been used and are given to someone else

3 7.9

Very poor and without money, a job, or a home

low-down
  • Slang
3 8.5

True information about something often not widely known

write-down
  • Specialized
3 6.4

A reduction in the value of something a company owns to show it is now worth less

sit-down
  • Archaic
2 6.4

Workers who stay in their workplace and refuse to leave until the employer meets their demands

Workers stay at their workplace and refuse to work until demands are met

dressing down
  • Informal
2 6.1

A severe scolding from someone in charge, often in front of other people

1 7.7

A person with no money, job, or home

dressing-down
  • Informal
1 7.7

A strong angry talk that tells someone they did something wrong

1 3.2

A very soft feather under a bird's outer feathers that keeps the bird warm

1 4.2

Older family members give things like clothes or recipes to younger ones

1 6.5

Further down on the page below the current section

Down syndrome
  • Specialized
1 3.3

A condition present at birth caused by an extra chromosome that makes learning harder and gives typical physical features

A dress with a collar and buttons down the front

down-bow
  • Specialized
1 8.8

A bow movement from the part near your hand toward the tip when playing a string instrument

1 8.2

Soft fine feathers under a swan's outer feathers used to fill clothes or bedding

1 7.4

An act of saying you were wrong or changing your view

down quark
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A very small particle inside protons and neutrons with an electric charge of minus one third

step-down
  • Specialized
1 5.5

A device like a transformer that lowers electrical voltage

Very violent and intense, often about a fight or argument

1 2.8

Soft fine feathers from a duck used to fill warm bedding and clothing

1 9.9

A person from Maine, often from the eastern coast

1 4.2

An act of completely taking down a building so it no longer exists

A shirt whose collar has buttons that keep it in place

1 9.8

A very soft wool fabric used for baby clothes

1 7.0

A rule that limits how much something can rise

step-down transformer
  • Specialized
1 5.6

A device that lowers high electric voltage so appliances work safely

To move something like curtains or equipment down to a lower place

A large British sheep with a dark face and a thick coat that people keep for meat and wool

push-down queue
  • Specialized
7.7

A pile where the last item put on is the first taken off

push-down stack
  • Specialized
6.0

A list where the last item added is the first removed

push-down storage
  • Specialized
7.8

A way to store items so the last one added is the first taken out

push-down store
  • Specialized
8.2

A storage where the last thing put in comes out first, like a pile of plates

push-down list
  • Specialized
7.5

A list where the last thing you put in comes out first

Money kept to pay for a planned new project or a large cost

Leaving a position of authority or responsibility

How Forceful

to shoot down
149 4.4
to knock down
167 3.0
to down
∞ 5.5
to push
∞ 1.0
to trip
299 2.2
to nudge
36 3.8

Surface Forms

down infinitive
downed past
downed past participle
downing present participle
downs third person singular

Etymology

Down as a verb meaning to cause to fall comes from the direction 'down' — to knock or bring someone or something down to the ground.