Down - English meaning

noun

An unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury.

Usage examples:

He had an accident at the factory

noun

Something bad that happens that is not expected or intended and that often damages something or injures someone

Usage examples:

Have an accident josh had an accident and spilled water all over his work., involved in an accident…

noun

Something that happens by chance, without anyone intending or planning it

Usage examples:

Accident of birth social status is often merely an accident of birth (= caused by whether people ar…

noun

A flower, especially one cultivated for its beauty.

Usage examples:

An exotic bloom

verb

Produce flowers; be in flower.

Usage examples:

A chalk pit where cowslips bloomed

verb

Make (iron, steel, etc.) into a bloom.

Usage examples:

A steel slab comprising the above constituents is produced by preparing the steel in a converter fo…

adjective

Past participle of break1.

verb

Separate or cause to separate into pieces as a result of a blow, shock, or strain.

Usage examples:

The branch broke with a loud snap

adjective

Past participle of break

Usage examples:

My camera is broken., a broken line, he spoke very broken english., after his wife's death, he seem…

adjective

In bad condition or not working

Usage examples:

A broken-down car

noun

An event causing great and often sudden damage or distress; a disaster.

Usage examples:

Emergency measures may be necessary in order to avert a calamity

noun

An event that causes much suffering to many people

Usage examples:

The factory closings were a calamity for the whole city.

noun

A serious accident or bad event causing damage or suffering

Usage examples:

A series of calamities ruined them - floods, a failed harvest, and the death of a son.

noun

An event causing great and usually sudden damage or suffering; a disaster.

Usage examples:

An environmental catastrophe

noun

A sudden event that causes great suffering or destruction

Usage examples:

Losing his job was a financial catastrophe for his family., a chemical plant leak could cause an en…

noun

A sudden event that causes very great trouble or destruction

Usage examples:

They were warned of the ecological catastrophe to come.

noun

A time of intense difficulty or danger.

Usage examples:

The current economic crisis

Plural of crisis

noun

A floor of a ship, especially the upper, open level extending for the full length of the vessel.

Usage examples:

He stood on the deck of his flagship

verb

Decorate or adorn brightly or festively.

Usage examples:

Ingrid was decked out in her sunday best

verb

Any of various platforms built into a sailing vessel

adjective

Imperfect or faulty.

Usage examples:

Complaints over defective goods

noun

Having mental disabilities.

adjective

Containing a fault, or not working correctly

Usage examples:

The company does not accept returns on any technology products unless they're defective or damaged.…

adjective

Sad and depressed; dispirited.

Usage examples:

He stood in the street looking dejected

verb

Make sad or dispirited; depress.

Usage examples:

Nothing dejects a trader like the interruption of his profits

adjective

Unhappy, disappointed, or lacking hope

Usage examples:

William felt dejected because he had sprained his ankle and had to sit out the game.

adjective

(of a person) in a state of unhappiness or despondency.

Usage examples:

She felt lonely and depressed

verb

Make (someone) feel utterly dispirited or dejected.

Usage examples:

That first day at school depressed me

adjective

Feeling unhappy and without hope

Usage examples:

He’s depressed about losing his job., this is an economically depressed area.

adjective

In low spirits from loss of hope or courage.

Usage examples:

She grew more and more despondent

adjective

Unhappy and discouraged because you feel you are in a situation that is unlikely to improve

Usage examples:

He grew increasingly despondent when his paintings failed to sell.

adjective

Unhappy and with no hope or enthusiasm

Usage examples:

He became/grew increasingly despondent when she failed to return his phone calls., despondent about…

adjective

Having lost determination or confidence; dispirited.

Usage examples:

A disheartened tone of voice

verb

Cause (someone) to lose determination or confidence.

Usage examples:

The farmer was disheartened by the damage to his crops

adjective

Having lost confidence, hope, and energy

Usage examples:

She was very disheartened by the results of the test., after several setbacks it's hard not to grow…

adjective

Having lost enthusiasm and hope; disheartened.

Usage examples:

She was determined to appear unworried in front of her dispirited family

verb

Cause (someone) to lose enthusiasm or hope.

Usage examples:

The army was dispirited by the uncomfortable winter conditions

adjective

Not feeling hopeful about a situation or problem

Usage examples:

The poor are dispirited.

adjective

Discouraged; in low spirits.

Usage examples:

Fans must not be downhearted even though we lost

adjective

Unhappy, esp. because of failure or because you are disappointed

adjective

Unhappy and having no hope, especially because of a disappointment or failure

Usage examples:

After hearing the news of the defeat, she told supporters not to be downhearted.

adverb

Down a flight of stairs.

Usage examples:

I tripped over the cat and fell downstairs

adjective

Situated downstairs.

Usage examples:

The downstairs loo

noun

The ground floor or lower floors of a building.

Usage examples:

The downstairs was hardly damaged at all

noun

A decline in economic, business, or other activity.

Usage examples:

A downturn in the housing market

noun

A reduction in the amount or success of something

Usage examples:

A downturn in car sales

noun

A reduction in the amount or success of something, such as a country's economic activity

Usage examples:

Economic/market downturn thousands of workers have lost their jobs in the economic downturn., there…

adverb

Towards a lower place, point, or level.

Usage examples:

He was lying face downward

adjective

Moving or leading towards a lower place or level.

Usage examples:

A downward trend in inflation

adverb

Towards a lower position

Usage examples:

The road slopes gently downwards for a mile or two., the water filters downwards through the rock f…

verb

Cause the water or other liquid in (something) to run out, leaving it empty or dry.

Usage examples:

We drained the swimming pool

noun

A channel or pipe carrying off surplus liquid, especially rainwater or liquid waste.

Usage examples:

The room's toilet pipes and shower drains carry this waste to a holding tank.

verb

Emptying something by allowing liquid to run out of it

preposition

Throughout the course or duration of (a period of time).

Usage examples:

The restaurant is open during the day

preposition

From the beginning to the end of (a particular period)

Usage examples:

They work during the night and sleep by day., we hope to spend some weekends in the country during …

preposition

From the beginning to the end of a particular period

Usage examples:

They work during the night and sleep by day., there were huge advances in aviation technology durin…

adjective

Not working or made correctly; having defects.

Usage examples:

A faulty brake

adjective

Not working correctly, or not correct

Usage examples:

Faulty brakes, his arguments were based on faulty reasoning.

adjective

Not working correctly

Usage examples:

The company recalled over 500,000 cars last year because of a faulty connection in their new model.…

verb

Past of fall.

noun

An amount of timber cut.

noun

A hill or stretch of high moorland, especially in northern england.

Usage examples:

Cross fell

verb

Make or become flat or flatter.

Usage examples:

Her hair had been flattened by the storm

verb

Make flat or flatter

verb

To become level or cause something to become level

Usage examples:

Several trees were flattened (= knocked down) by the storm., flatten out the path flattens out (= d…

noun

The lower surface of a room, on which one may walk.

Usage examples:

A wooden floor

verb

Provide (a room or area) with a floor.

Usage examples:

A room floored in yellow wood

noun

The flat surface that you walk on when you are inside a building

Usage examples:

A tile floor, hardwood floors, the children sat on the floor., they rented office space on the seco…

noun

The rough silk enveloping a silkworm's cocoon.

Usage examples:

Since mankind discovered the wonder of the silkworm's floss, it has been used for the costliest of …

verb

Short for dental floss.

verb

To clean between your teeth using dental floss (= thin thread made especially for this purpose)

noun

Soft fibres from fabrics such as wool or cotton which accumulate in small light clumps.

Usage examples:

He brushed his sleeve to remove the fluff

verb

Make (something) appear fuller and softer by shaking or brushing it.

Usage examples:

I fluffed up the pillows

noun

A soft mass of fibers, feathers, or hair

Usage examples:

Cotton fluff, the cat, a ball of white fluff, darted into the house and started to lick its fur., w…

idiom

Completely

Usage examples:

They cleaned the house from top to bottom.

noun

A frizzy mass of hair or fibre.

Usage examples:

A fuzz of black hair

verb

Make or become blurred or indistinct.

Usage examples:

Snow fuzzes the outlines of the signs

noun

The police.

Usage examples:

Keep down! it's the fuzz!

adjective

Dark or poorly lit, especially so as to appear depressing or frightening.

Usage examples:

A gloomy corridor badly lit by oil lamps

adjective

Unhappy and without hope

Usage examples:

A gloomy person/expression, the cemetery is a gloomy place.

adjective

Not expecting or believing anything good in a situation

Usage examples:

A gloomy economic forecast, uk the vet is rather gloomy about my cat's chances of recovery.

adjective

Looking or feeling dejected; morose.

Usage examples:

The princess looked glum but later cheered up

adjective

Sad and discouraged

Usage examples:

A glum expression, marty nodded glumly.

adjective

Disappointed or unhappy, and quiet

Usage examples:

You look glum. what's up?, glum about he's very glum about the company's prospects.

verb

Eat or drink (something) greedily.

Usage examples:

He would guzzle his ale

verb

To drink or eat something eagerly or in large amounts

Usage examples:

He sat in the shade, guzzling cold soda.

verb

To drink quickly, eagerly, and usually in large amounts

Usage examples:

He guzzled his beer and ordered another.

adjective

Feeling great sadness

Usage examples:

The townspeople were heavy-hearted after the fire that destroyed a beloved family restaurant., heav…

verb

Drink (alcohol).

Usage examples:

They were imbibing far too many pitchers of beer

verb

To drink

verb

To drink, especially alcohol

Usage examples:

Have you been imbibing again?

preposition

Expressing the situation of something that is or appears to be enclosed or surrounded by something else.

Usage examples:

I'm living in london

adverb

Expressing movement with the result that someone or something becomes enclosed or surrounded by something else.

Usage examples:

Come in

adjective

Present at one's home or office.

Usage examples:

We knocked at the door but there was no one in

adjective

Not working or taking effect.

Usage examples:

The act may be rendered inoperative

adjective

If a law or rule is inoperative, it does not have any effect and cannot be used

Usage examples:

Legislation to repeal inoperative provisions in the tax law was approved., make/render sth inoperat…

adjective

(of a law, rule, etc.) not having effect or power, or (of a machine, system, etc.) not working or not able to work as usual

Usage examples:

The old regulations became inoperative when the new ones were issued., there were guidelines about …

verb

Cause the death of (a person, animal, or other living thing).

Usage examples:

Her father was killed in a car crash

noun

An act of killing, especially of one animal by another.

Usage examples:

A lion has made a kill

noun

(in place names, especially in new york, new jersey, and pennsylvania) a stream, creek, or tributary.

Usage examples:

Kill van kull

idiom

Cause to come or go down

phrasal verb

Demolish a building or other structure.

Usage examples:

The closely packed houses were knocked down

phrasal verb

(especially of a vehicle) strike or collide with someone so as to cause them to fall to the ground.

Usage examples:

I was nearly knocked down by a bus

noun

Short, fine fibres which separate from the surface of cloth or yarn during processing.

Usage examples:

Some fabrics leave tiny specks of lint on the glass

noun

Small, loose cloth fibers or pieces of thread

Usage examples:

My black sweater is covered with lint.

noun

Short threads that come off the surface of cloth when it is being produced

adjective

Of less than average height from top to bottom or to the top from the ground.

Usage examples:

The school is a long, low building

noun

A low point, level, or figure.

Usage examples:

His popularity ratings are at an all-time low

adverb

In or into a low position or state.

Usage examples:

She pressed on, bent low to protect her face

adjective

Unhappy and having little hope

verb

(of a piece of equipment or machinery) fail to function normally.

Usage examples:

The unit is clearly malfunctioning

noun

A failure to function normally.

Usage examples:

A computer malfunction

verb

Present participle of malfunction

noun

A feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious cause.

Usage examples:

An air of melancholy surrounded him

adjective

Having a feeling of melancholy; sad and pensive.

Usage examples:

She felt a little melancholy

adjective

Feeling or expressing sadness

Usage examples:

A melancholy song, larry is in a very melancholy mood.

adjective

(of a person) wretchedly unhappy or uncomfortable.

Usage examples:

Their happiness made anne feel even more miserable

adjective

Very unhappy, or causing much unhappiness

Usage examples:

They can make your life miserable if they want to., the forecast is for miserable weather today.

noun

An unlucky accident.

Usage examples:

Although there were a few minor mishaps, none of the pancakes stuck to the ceiling

noun

An accident or unlucky event

Usage examples:

[ u ] the parade took place without mishap.

adjective

Sullen and ill-tempered.

Usage examples:

She was morose and silent when she got home

adjective

Unhappy or annoyed and unwilling to speak, smile, or be pleasant to people

Usage examples:

Michael became morose and withdrawn after he lost his job.

verb

Sleep lightly or briefly, especially during the day.

Usage examples:

She took to napping on the beach in the afternoons

noun

A short sleep, especially during the day.

Usage examples:

Excuse me, i'll just take a little nap

noun

The raised hairs or threads on the surface of fabric or suede leather, in terms of the direction in which they naturally lie.

Usage examples:

Carefully machine the seam, following the direction of the nap

noun

The part of a person's or animal's body connecting the head to the rest of the body.

Usage examples:

She had a silver crucifix around her neck

verb

(of two people) kiss and caress amorously.

Usage examples:

We started necking on the sofa

noun

The part of the body that joins the head to the shoulders

Usage examples:

She rubbed her neck., his shirt was open at the neck., a vase with a long neck

phrase

(of a device) not working properly or at all.

Usage examples:

The elevator was out of order

phrase

Not in the correct sequence.

Usage examples:

He recorded the seven pieces out of order

phrase

Not according to the rules of a meeting, legislative assembly, etc.

Usage examples:

He ruled the objection out of order

preposition

Extending directly upwards from.

Usage examples:

I saw flames over berlin

noun

Expressing passage or trajectory across an area.

Usage examples:

He leant over and tapped me on the hand

prefix

Excessively; to an unwanted degree.

Usage examples:

Overambitious

noun

A heap of things laid or lying one on top of another.

Usage examples:

He placed the books in a neat pile

verb

Place (things) one on top of the other.

Usage examples:

She piled all the groceries on the counter

verb

Strengthen or support (a structure) with piles.

Usage examples:

An earlier bridge may have been piled

phrasal verb

Quickly finish or consume something.

Usage examples:

They polished off most of the sausages

phrasal verb

To finish something quickly and easily

Usage examples:

He polished off two burgers and a mountain of french fries.

adjective

Lying stretched out on the ground with one's face downwards.

Usage examples:

There was a man praying before an idol, lying prostrate

verb

Throw oneself flat on the ground so as to be lying face downwards, especially in reverence or submission.

Usage examples:

She prostrated herself on the bare floor of the church

adjective

Lying flat with the face down

Usage examples:

She lay there prostrate, exhausted after a long day's work.

verb

Drink (something, especially an alcoholic drink) heartily.

Usage examples:

He quaffed pint after pint of good berkshire ale

noun

An alcoholic drink.

Usage examples:

Porter is a dark, malty quaff

verb

To drink something quickly or in large amounts

noun

A change to an opposite direction, position, or course of action.

Usage examples:

A dramatic reversal in population decline in the alps

noun

A complete change of direction, order, or position

Usage examples:

[ c ] in a significant reversal of earlier trends, people are moving back to salt lake city.

noun

A change in something so that it becomes the opposite of what it was before

Usage examples:

What led to the reversal of the policy?, the policy has undergone a complete reversal., a reversal …

verb

Move backwards.

Usage examples:

The lorry reversed into the back of a bus

noun

A complete change of direction or action.

Usage examples:

The gall actuates a reverse of photosynthesis

adjective

Going in or turned towards the direction opposite to that previously stated.

Usage examples:

The trend appears to be going in the reverse direction

adjective

Feeling or showing sorrow; unhappy.

Usage examples:

I was sad and subdued

adjective

(of dough) heavy through having failed to rise.

abbreviation

Seasonal affective disorder.

verb

Cause to feel sorrow; make unhappy.

Usage examples:

He was greatly saddened by the death of his only son

noun

A reversal or check in progress.

Usage examples:

A serious setback for the peace process

noun

Something that causes delay or stops progress

Usage examples:

Democrats suffered a serious setback in yesterday’s election, losing all three contested seats.

noun

Something that happens that causes a delay or prevents a process from continuing

Usage examples:

He suffered a setback yesterday in his attempts to take a stake in the mobile phone company., a set…

noun

A sudden upsetting or surprising event or experience.

Usage examples:

It was a shock to face such hostile attitudes

verb

Short for shock absorber.

verb

Arrange (sheaves of grain) in a shock.

Usage examples:

The grain is shocked in the field after it is cut

verb

Go down below the surface of something, especially of a liquid; become submerged.

Usage examples:

He saw the coffin sink below the surface of the waves

noun

A fixed basin with a water supply and outflow pipe.

Usage examples:

I stood at the kitchen sink

noun

Fall or descend to a lower place or level

verb

Drink (something) by taking small mouthfuls.

Usage examples:

I sat sipping coffee

noun

A small mouthful of liquid.

Usage examples:

She took a sip of the red wine

verb

Drink in sips

noun

A tough-skinned terrestrial mollusc which typically lacks a shell and secretes a film of mucus for protection. it can be a serious plant pest.

Usage examples:

Slugs and snails are mainly nocturnal, and the sun's heat can be fatal to slugs and to all mollusc …

verb

Drink (something, typically alcohol) in a large draught; swig.

Usage examples:

She picked up her drink and slugged it straight back

noun

A hard blow.

Usage examples:

Adam frowned and gave him a hard slug in the shoulder.

verb

Drink or eat (something) with a loud sucking noise.

Usage examples:

She slurped her coffee

noun

A loud sucking sound made while drinking or eating.

Usage examples:

She drank it down with a loud slurp

verb

To make sucking noises while eating or drinking

Usage examples:

[ t ] i wanted to tell him not to slurp his soup.

verb

To eat something very quickly in a way that people think is greedy

Usage examples:

He snarfed down the whole cake., i snarfed the book off the table when he wasn't looking., he hacke…

verb

To take something without permission

Usage examples:

I snarfed the book off the table when he wasn't looking.

verb

To use a computer document or file without getting the writer's permission

Usage examples:

He hacked into the computer system and snarfed some images.

adjective

Feeling or showing grief.

Usage examples:

She looked at him with sorrowful eyes

adjective

Very sad

Usage examples:

With a sorrowful sigh she folded the letter and put it away.

verb

Draw into the mouth by contracting the muscles of the lips and mouth to make a partial vacuum.

Usage examples:

They suck mint juleps through straws

noun

An act of sucking something.

Usage examples:

The fish draws the bait into its mouth with a strong suck

exclamation

Used to express derision and defiance.

Usage examples:

Sucks to them!

verb

Take (drink or liquid food) by sips or spoonfuls.

Usage examples:

She supped up her soup delightedly

noun

A sip of liquid.

Usage examples:

He took another sup of wine

verb

Eat supper.

Usage examples:

You'll sup on seafood delicacies

verb

Cause or allow (something, especially food or drink) to pass down the throat.

Usage examples:

She swallowed a mouthful slowly

noun

An act of swallowing something, especially food or drink.

Usage examples:

He downed his drink in one swallow

noun

A migratory swift-flying songbird with a forked tail and long pointed wings, feeding on insects in flight.

Usage examples:

The central aim of our study was to demonstrate that both natural and sexual selection have been im…

verb

Drink in large gulps.

Usage examples:

Dave swigged the wine in five gulps

noun

A large gulp of drink.

Usage examples:

He took a swig of tea

verb

To drink something in large swallows

Usage examples:

He took a swig of coffee.

noun

The equipment required for a task or sport.

Usage examples:

Fishing tackle

verb

Make determined efforts to deal with (a problem or difficult task).

Usage examples:

Police have launched an initiative to tackle rising crime

verb

Seize and throw down an opponent player carrying the ball

preposition

Moving in one side and out of the other side of (an opening, channel, or location).

Usage examples:

She walked through the doorway into the living room

adverb

Expressing movement into one side and out of the other side of an opening, channel, or location.

Usage examples:

As soon as we opened the gate they came streaming through

adjective

(with reference to public transport) continuing or valid to the final destination.

Usage examples:

A through train from london

preposition

In every part of (a place or object).

Usage examples:

The event had repercussions throughout europe

adverb

In every part of a place or object.

Usage examples:

The house is in good order throughout

adjective

In every part, or during the whole period of

Usage examples:

Grass grows throughout the world., she was calm throughout her visit to the dentist.

idiom

To discover the real but sometimes hidden reason that something exists or happens

Usage examples:

Investigators are trying to get to the bottom of what went wrong.

phrase

To stand and begin to dance

Usage examples:

The newlyweds were the first to take the floor., even as a teenager, when she took to the floor, ev…

phrase

To completely destroy a building by fire

Usage examples:

The building was burned to the ground ten years ago., the local police station was recently burned …

verb

Overbalance or cause to overbalance and fall.

Usage examples:

She toppled over when i touched her

verb

To lean forward and fall

Usage examples:

[ t ] a large tree was toppled by the wind., [ t ] the government toppled after several large publi…

verb

To remove a person or organization from a position of power

Usage examples:

This was a secret bid to topple the chairman and take his job., their aim was to topple the superma…

noun

An event causing great suffering, destruction, and distress, such as a serious accident, crime, or natural catastrophe.

Usage examples:

A tragedy that killed 95 people

noun

A very sad event or situation, esp. one involving death or suffering

Usage examples:

[ u ] his reckless driving was bound to end in tragedy., [ c ] it’s a tragedy (that) so many childr…

noun

A formal examination of evidence by a judge, typically before a jury, in order to decide guilt in a case of criminal or civil proceedings.

Usage examples:

The newspaper accounts of the trial

verb

Test (something, especially a new product) to assess its suitability or performance.

Usage examples:

Teachers all over the uk are trialling the materials

noun

The examination in a court of law of the facts of a case to decide whether a person is guilty of a crime or responsible for an injury to another person

Usage examples:

[ c ] a criminal/civil trial, [ u ] the case will soon go to trial (= begin)., [ u ] she must still…

phrasal verb

To make a mistake or to cause someone to make a mistake

Usage examples:

I did ok on the exam except for the last question, when i got tripped up by a word i didn’t underst…

adjective

Not happy.

Usage examples:

An unhappy marriage

adjective

Not feeling pleasure or satisfaction

Usage examples:

It was an unhappy time of her life., they were unhappy about their hotel room (= did not like it) a…

adjective

Not in working order or fulfilling its function adequately; unfit for use.

Usage examples:

The crew decided the aircraft was unserviceable

verb

Make (someone) unhappy, disappointed, or worried.

Usage examples:

The accusation upset her

noun

An unexpected result or situation.

Usage examples:

The greatest upset in boxing history

adjective

Unhappy, disappointed, or worried.

Usage examples:

She looked pale and upset

noun

A change of circumstances or fortune, typically one that is unwelcome or unpleasant.

Usage examples:

Her husband's sharp vicissitudes of fortune

noun

Changes that happen at different times during the life or development of someone or something, especially those that result in conditions being worse

Usage examples:

Losing your job is just one of the vicissitudes of life.

adjective

(of a person) in a very unhappy or unfortunate state.

Usage examples:

I felt so wretched because i thought i might never see you again

adjective

Unhappy or extremely sad

Usage examples:

He looked so ill and wretched as he spoke that he made me feel wretched myself., workers lived in w…