to down
- verb
- /daʊn/
- Informal
- He quickly downed his drink before heading out to the party.
- downed a drink
- downed a glass
- downed a bottle
Examples
-
Once he had downed the pills, he relaxed and quit tensing himself against the pain.
Fiction book (1996) -
Trembling violently, he raised the cup to his mouth and downed the contents to prove it wasn't poisoned.
Academic text (2000) -
God, the last thing I remember was downing a drink at that club.
-
Phone to his ear, Harry downs another drink and sits up.
Fiction book (1995) -
The man with the headache is downing one shot after another.
Fiction book (1992) -
When she downed her last swallow, she said, "I guess it's past time to go to bed."
Academic text (2009) -
He downed the glass right there.
-
I picked up the bowl and downed the soup in several gulps.
Fiction book (1994) -
Three cups of coffee, downed in quick succession, had restored his good humor remarkably.
Fiction book (1990) -
Two truckers chatted at the counter, polishing off key lime pie and downing bottomless cups of coffee.
Fiction book (1996)
Synonyms
To eat or use something quickly until it is finished
To eat or drink something
Drink an alcoholic drink or bottle completely in one session
To drink something quickly in large gulps
To drink an alcoholic drink quickly
Put something down hard so it makes a loud noise or quickly drink something
To eat food quickly because you are very hungry
To manage to swallow food or medicine when it is hard
To drink or eat something very quickly, often without pausing
Eat food very quickly when you are very hungry
To eat or drink something quickly without stopping
To drink all of a glass or bottle quickly in one go
Eat all the food very quickly
To empty a glass quickly in one long gulp
To eat small amounts of food quickly and casually
To eat or drink very quickly, often without chewing
To eat a lot of food quickly and greedily
To drink a lot very quickly, often alcohol
To drink a whole glass quickly, often of alcohol
To drink quickly, often alcohol
Antonyms
Idioms
To continue until the last possible moment while the result is not known
- Informal
Reach a point where the result is not decided until the last moment
- Informal
Completely unable to move or continue because of extreme tiredness
- Informal
To suddenly speak angrily and criticize someone for a small mistake
- Informal
Found unprepared and embarrassed when something unexpected happens
- Informal
Make someone feel a sudden strong fear or excitement
- Informal
Cause someone to feel a sudden strong fear or excitement
- Informal
To treat someone badly when they already have problems
- Informal
A sudden feeling of fear or excitement that moves along your back
- Informal
To stop acting like you are better than other people
- Informal
Make someone accept ideas or opinions they do not want by pressuring them
Phrasal Verbs
- Informal
To try harder to continue something even when people disagree or it is risky
- Informal
Cause a big sudden change that leaves people confused
Compounds
- US
A first payment you make when you buy something and pay the rest in later payments
- Specialized
A condition present at birth caused by an extra chromosome that makes learning harder and gives typical physical features
- Informal
Something that is less strong or useful because people change it to avoid problems
- Specialized
A list of options that appears below a menu item so you can choose one
- Specialized
A reduction in the value of something a company owns to show it is now worth less
- Jargon
A temporary pause in military activity to let troops rest and stop being on alert
- Archaic
Workers who stay in their workplace and refuse to leave until the employer meets their demands
- Informal
A severe scolding from someone in charge, often in front of other people
- Specialized
A very small particle inside protons and neutrons with an electric charge of minus one third
- Specialized
A bow movement from the part near your hand toward the tip when playing a string instrument
A large British sheep with a dark face and a thick coat that people keep for meat and wool
- Specialized
A storage where the last thing put in comes out first, like a pile of plates
- Specialized
A device that lowers high electric voltage so appliances work safely
How Fast
Surface Forms
Etymology
Down meaning to eat or drink quickly comes from the image of sending something 'down' into your stomach, so to down food is to swallow it fast.