Definition of DOWN
DOWN Adverb and Adjective
Main Meaning: Down is an adverb, adjective, and preposition that refers to a direction, position, or state indicating a lower or reduced position, level, or condition. It signifies a movement towards a lower point, a position below a reference point, or a state of decline or reduction.
DOWN as an adverb
Adverb Meaning – Direction or Movement: As an adverb, down describes movement or direction towards a lower position. For example, “She walked down the stairs,” indicates movement from a higher to a lower level.
DOWN as an adjective
Adjective Meaning – Lower Position or State: As an adjective, down refers to something positioned or situated at a lower level. For instance, “The down escalator is on the left side,” highlights the location or state of being lower relative to something else.
Preposition Meaning – Position or Direction: As a preposition, down indicates the direction or position towards a lower point. For example, “He looked down from the top of the building,” describes a position or direction below a reference point.
Context in Emotional and Physical States: Down is also used to describe emotional or physical states of decline or low condition. For example, “She felt down after receiving the bad news,” signifies a state of sadness or low mood.
Importance in Navigation and Spatial Orientation: Understanding down is crucial in navigation and spatial orientation, where it helps describe movement and position. For example, “Maps often use ‘down’ to indicate the direction towards the bottom of the page,” highlights its role in orientation and mapping.
Impact on Descriptive Language and Communication: Recognizing down helps in descriptive language and communication, where it provides clarity on direction, position, or condition. For example, “Using ‘down’ accurately enhances clarity in instructions and descriptions,” illustrates its importance in effective communication.
Conclusion: Down is an adverb, adjective, and preposition that refers to a direction, position, or state indicating a lower or reduced level. As an adverb, it describes movement towards a lower point; as an adjective, it indicates a lower position; and as a preposition, it denotes direction or position below a reference point. Understanding down highlights its significance in navigation, spatial orientation, emotional and physical states, and its impact on descriptive language and communication.
Examples of DOWN in a sentence
DOWN as an adverb in a sentence
- Down means to a lower place or position.
- She walked down the stairs quickly.
- The temperature dropped down to freezing overnight.
- The kite flew down from the sky and landed gently.
- He looked down at his shoes.
- The stock prices went down significantly.
- The cat jumped down from the table.
- The plane descended down into the airport.
DOWN as an adjective in a sentence
- Down describes something that is not functioning or is in a lower state.
- The computer is down for maintenance.
- She felt down after hearing the bad news.
- The down elevator was out of order.
- The website went down unexpectedly.
- The team was feeling down after their recent loss.
- The company’s down period lasted for several months.
- The down position of the flag indicated the end of the event.
Origin of DOWN
Down traces its origins through Old English and Germanic roots.
- Old English: Down comes from the Old English word dūn, meaning a hill or mound. This word is related to the Proto-Germanic *dunaz, which also meant hill or mountain.
- Middle English: The term doun was used in Middle English to refer to a slope or descent, evolving from its Old English usage.
- Modern English: Down refers to:
- Direction: Moving or situated towards a lower position or point.
- Condition: Indicating a state of being lower, reduced, or not functioning (e.g., a system down).
The term has retained its core meanings related to direction and position, expanding in modern usage to include various contexts such as status and condition.
Synonyms
- Lower
- Beneath
- Below
- Depressed
- Descending
- Downward
- Subdued
- Reduced
Antonyms
- Up
- Above
- Elevated
- Ascending
- Higher
- Uplifted
- Raised
- Positive
Related
- Descent
- Decline
- Drop
- Fall
- Lowering
- Downturn
- Diminish
- Negative
🌐 🇬🇧 DOWN in other languages
| Spanish 🇪🇸 | Abajo |
| French 🇫🇷 | Descendant |
| German 🇩🇪 | Unten |
| Chinese (simpl) 🇨🇳 | 向下 |
| Chinese (trad) 🇨🇳 | 向下 |
| Italian 🇮🇹 | Giù |
| Portuguese 🇵🇹 | Para baixo |
| Dutch 🇳🇱 | Down |
| Swedish 🇸🇪 | Ner |
| Norwegian 🇳🇴 | Ned |
| Finnish 🇫🇮 | Alas |
| Romanian 🇷🇴 | Jos |
| Polish 🇵🇱 | W dół |
| Hungarian 🇭🇺 | Le |
| Czech 🇨🇿 | Dolů |
| Bulgarian 🇧🇬 | Надолу |
| Ukrainian 🇺🇦 | вниз |
| Russian 🇷🇺 | Вниз |
| Turkish 🇹🇷 | Aşağı |
| Azerbaijani 🇦🇿 | Aşağı |
| Armenian 🇦🇲 | Ներքև |
| Arabic 🇸🇦 | متراجع |
| Hebrew 🇮🇱 | לְמַטָה |
| Urdu 🇵🇰 | نیچے |
| Farsi/Persian 🇮🇷 | پایین |
| Hindi 🇮🇳 | नीचे |
| Bengaleli/se 🇧🇩 | নিচে |
| Marathi 🇮🇳 | खाली |
| Telugu 🇮🇳 | క్రిందికి |
| Tamil 🇮🇳 | கீழே |
| Gujarati 🇮🇳 | નીચે |
| Kannada 🇮🇳 | ಕೆಳಗೆ |
| Odia (Orya) 🇮🇳 | ಕೆಳಗೆ |
| Malayalam 🇮🇳 | താഴേക്ക് |
| Punjabi 🇮🇳 | ਹੇਠਾਂ |
| Sinhala/ese 🇱🇰 | පහළට |
| Nepali 🇳🇵 | तल |
| Burmese 🇲🇲 | ဆင်းတယ်။ |
| Thai 🇹🇭 | การต้อนรับขับสู้ |
| Vietnamese 🇻🇳 | Xuống |
| Malay 🇲🇾 | Bawah |
| Indonesian 🇮🇩 | Turun |
| Tagalog 🇵🇭 | Pababa |
| Japanese 🇯🇵 | 下がる |
| Korean 🇰🇷 | 내려가는 |
| Oromo 🇪🇹 | Gadi |
| Somali 🇸🇴 | Hoos |
| Amharic 🇪🇹 | ወደታች |
| Swahili 🇹🇿 | Chini |
| Yoruba 🇳🇬 | Isalẹ |