down
down — verb
1. to use force — such as hitting, shooting, or strong wind — to bring someone or s
to use force — such as hitting, shooting, or strong wind — to bring someone or something from an upright position onto the ground.
A powerful storm downed the old oak tree in Tuan's back garden.
weather subject + down + object (tree)
The fighter jet was downed by a missile during the training exercise.
passive: be downed by [thing]
The police officer downed the attacker with a single shot to the leg.
human subject + down + person + with [weapon]
Heavy snow downed telephone wires across the village last night.
weather subject + down + object (infrastructure)
The boxer downed his opponent in the third round with a right hook.
- down a tree
- down a plane
- down power lines
- down an opponent
- knock down
more common in everyday speech; often used for people in accidents or fights
- bring down
slightly more formal; common for aircraft or animals
- fell
specific to cutting down trees with a tool; more technical
Grammar Patterns
down + noun phrase
Usage Note
Often used in news reports about storms, military action, or sports. The passive form (be downed by) is very common when the cause is emphasised.
Common Mistakes
2. to consume all of a meal, drink, or serving of medicine in a single quick action
to consume all of a meal, drink, or serving of medicine in a single quick action, often due to hunger, thirst, or haste.
Selim downed his glass of water and asked for a refill.
down + drink (object = glass of water)
The children downed their breakfast and ran to catch the bus.
down + meal (object = breakfast)
Wren downed the bitter medicine in one gulp and made a face.
After the long hike, Sana downed her sandwich in under a minute.
down + food in context of hunger/need
The runners downed bottles of water at the finish line.
- down a beer
- down a shot
- down a glass of water
- down a pizza
- down medicine
Grammar Patterns
down + noun phrase (food/drink)
Usage Note
Informal — used in casual conversation, not in formal writing. The object is always the thing consumed, not the person eating. Frequently used for drinks (down a beer, down a shot).
Common Mistakes
3. to beat an opponent in a sports match, game, or competition.
to beat an opponent in a sports match, game, or competition.
The underdog team downed the champions 3–1 in the final match.
down + opponent + score
Olivia downed her chess opponent with a clever trap on move fifteen.
down + opponent in strategy game
The home team downed their biggest rivals in front of a record crowd.
Renata downed the top seed to win her first professional title.
down the top seed / down the favourite
- down an opponent
- down the champions
- down the top seed
- down a rival
Grammar Patterns
down + noun phrase (team/opponent)
Usage Note
Used in sports journalism and commentary. Sounds more dramatic and concise than 'defeat' or 'beat'. Common collocations include team names, 'the champions', 'top seed', or 'rivals'.
Common Mistakes
down — noun
1. the soft fine feathers that grow under the outer feathers of birds, used as fill
the soft fine feathers that grow under the outer feathers of birds, used as filling for pillows, quilts, and warm winter coats
Tariq bought a pillow filled with down because he wanted a softer place to sleep.
uncountable noun: pillow filled with down
This winter coat contains down and keeps the wearer warm without adding much weight.
The hotel pillows are all made of down and feel extremely soft against the skin.
Daichi prefers a synthetic filling over down because his allergy to feathers causes sneezing.
contrast: synthetic filling over down
- filled with down
- made of down
- down pillow
- down jacket
Usage Note
Uncountable — you cannot say 'a down' when referring to feathers. Use 'down' on its own or 'a piece of down' for a single feather.
Common Mistakes
2. the layer of extremely fine and delicate hairs found on human skin or on the out
the layer of extremely fine and delicate hairs found on human skin or on the outer surface of some plants and fruits
The baby's cheeks were covered in a soft down that felt silky to the touch.
singular: a soft down
Ritu noticed the fine down on the peach and wiped it off before eating.
As people grow older, the fine down on their arms often becomes less visible.
The leaves of the plant have a silver down underneath that helps keep them dry.
botanical use: silver down on leaves
- soft down
- fine down
- silver down
- covered in down
- fuzz
more informal and everyday, especially for hair on fruit or fabric
- vellus hair
technical term for fine body hair in medical contexts
Usage Note
Can be used as a singular noun with 'a' ('a soft down') when referring to a visible layer of fine hair on a surface. More common in descriptive or scientific contexts than in everyday conversation.
Common Mistakes
3. one of the four chances a team has to move the ball forward by at least ten yard
one of the four chances a team has to move the ball forward by at least ten yards in American football, with each attempt being a single play
With only one down left, the team needed to gain at least three more yards.
countable: one down / three downs
The quarterback threw a long pass on the first down to surprise the defence.
Christopher watched the defence stop the runner on the third down near the goal line.
On the final down, the kicker attempted a field goal to tie the score.
Imani taught her cousin the rules of downs; he had never watched the sport before.
plural: rules of downs
- first down
- second down
- third down
- fourth down
- gain a down
- play
a single action in football; 'down' specifically refers to one of the four attempts within a series
Usage Note
Always used with ordinal numbers: 'first down,' 'second down,' 'third down,' 'fourth down.' The team must advance the ball ten yards within four downs to keep possession.
Common Mistakes
4. an unfair or unreasonable feeling of dislike directed toward a particular person
an unfair or unreasonable feeling of dislike directed toward a particular person, often used in the phrase 'have a down on'
Theo seems to have a down on his new colleague for reasons nobody can explain.
idiomatic phrase: have a down on + person
Faisal could not understand why his teacher had a down on him after one week.
Her manager has a down on anyone who arrives five minutes late for a shift.
The critic had a down on the director, so each film got a harsh review.
- have a down on
- have a real down on
- favour
unfair positive treatment, the opposite of a down
Grammar Patterns
have a down on + person
Usage Note
Almost always appears in the fixed phrase 'have a down on [someone].' Not used on its own ('I feel down on him' would not be correct in this sense). This is primarily British English; American speakers would use 'have it in for [someone]' instead.
Common Mistakes
down — adjective
1. feeling sad and without the energy or interest to do things
feeling sad and without the energy or interest to do things
Gabriel has been feeling really down since his dog passed away last month.
collocation: feel down + reason clause with since
Sari looked down after hearing that she had not got the scholarship.
collocation: look down + about result
The long grey winter makes many people feel down and low on energy.
Hugo was down about failing his driving test for the second time.
pattern: be down + about + noun phrase
Whenever Élise feels down, she goes for a long walk by the river.
- feel down
- look down
- get down
- down about
- down over
- down in the dumps
Grammar Patterns
be/feel/look/sound + down
feel down + about/over + noun phrase
Usage Note
Always used after linking verbs such as be, feel, look, or seem. Cannot come before a noun: you cannot say 'a down person' to mean an unhappy person.
Common Mistakes
2. used to say that a computer system, website, or piece of equipment is not workin
used to say that a computer system, website, or piece of equipment is not working, usually for a short period of time
The hospital's entire computer network went down for nearly four hours.
pattern: go down + for + duration
The online payment system was down all morning, so customers could not order anything.
passive use with duration: be down + all morning
Sahil could not access his email because the mail server was down.
The airline's booking website is down for maintenance until nine o'clock tonight.
pattern: down + for + purpose (maintenance)
During the storm, several radio towers were down, cutting off communication in the area.
- system down
- server down
- network down
- go down
- down for maintenance
- down all morning
- offline
more technical — specifically means not connected to a network
- out of service
more formal — often used for public equipment like elevators or ATMs
- unavailable
broader meaning — can refer to people as well as machines
- up
the standard opposite in computing — 'the system is up again'
- operational
formal opposite — 'the network is operational'
Grammar Patterns
be + down
go + down
be down + for + duration
Usage Note
Commonly used in technical and workplace settings. The subject is usually a computer system, server, network, website, or telecommunications service. Frequently paired with 'go' to describe the moment of failure ('the system went down') or 'be' to describe the state of being unavailable ('the system was down').
Common Mistakes
3. in American football, describing a ball carrier whom an opponent has tackled so
in American football, describing a ball carrier whom an opponent has tackled so that he or she cannot advance, which ends the current play
The quarterback was down on the thirty-yard line after a hard tackle.
The referee blew the whistle as soon as the receiver went down with the ball.
pattern: go down — moment of being tackled
The back was down inches from the goal line, so his team did not score.
When a player is down, the officials stop the clock and restart from that spot.
passive statement of rule: when a player is down
- go down
- be down
- down on the field
- tackled down
- down at the line
Grammar Patterns
be + down
go + down
Usage Note
This sense is specific to American football. In rugby or other field sports, different terms such as 'tackled' or 'grounded' are used. It only appears after linking verbs and cannot be used before a noun.
4. at a lower level, amount, price, or strength than before
at a lower level, amount, price, or strength than before
House prices in the area are down by nearly fifteen percent since last year.
pattern: down + by + percentage change
The temperature is down to minus five degrees tonight, so wrap up warm.
pattern: down + to + value
Sari received a raise even though company profits were down this quarter.
Student numbers at the school are down from four hundred to three hundred and fifty.
pattern: down + from + X + to + Y
After the prize cut, the race winner's share was down to just ten thousand dollars.
- down by
- down from
- down to
- prices are down
- sales are down
- numbers are down
Grammar Patterns
be + down
be down + by + amount
be down + from + previous value
Usage Note
Commonly used with numbers, prices, percentages, temperatures, and statistics. The amount of decrease can be introduced with 'by' ('down by 10%'), and the resulting value with 'to' ('down to $50'). The contrast with a previous point can be introduced with 'from' ('down from $100 to $50'). Cannot be used attributively before a noun.
Common Mistakes
down — adverb
1. closer to the ground; at or moving towards a spot that is below where something
closer to the ground; at or moving towards a spot that is below where something was before
Mira bent down to pick up the coins she had dropped.
verb + down for downward movement
The kite glided down slowly and landed in the garden.
Elena looked down from the window at the busy street below.
verb + down + from [a high place]
A single leaf floated down and rested on the wooden bench.
In the morning the sun came down through the bedroom curtains.
verb + down + through [something]
- bend down
- climb down
- fall down
- go down
- look down
- come down
- glide down
- float down
- downward
more formal; used especially in writing for direction ('a downward slope')
- towards the ground
more literal; emphasises the endpoint rather than the motion
- up
the opposite direction, towards a higher position
Grammar Patterns
verb + down
verb + down + prepositional phrase
Usage Note
Commonly used with verbs of motion such as come, go, fall, climb, bend, look, float, and glide. Often followed by a prepositional phrase beginning with from, to, or through.
Common Mistakes
2. from a standing or higher position into a sitting, lying, or resting position on
from a standing or higher position into a sitting, lying, or resting position on a surface; or from the sky onto the ground, referring to rain or snow
Roya sat down on the sofa after a long day at school.
verb + down + on [surface]
The puppy lay down on the rug and fell fast asleep.
Élise knelt down to tie her little brother's shoelaces.
verb + down for changing body position
Snow came down heavily and covered the streets by morning.
Gabriel told his dog to sit down before giving it a treat.
command form: 'sit down' for animals
- sit down
- lie down
- kneel down
- squat down
- come down
- rain down
- snow down
- onto a surface
literal description rather than a single adverb
- to a resting position
describes the result rather than the motion
- up
from sitting/lying to standing
Grammar Patterns
verb + down
verb + down + on/onto [surface]
Usage Note
This sense covers both changing body position (sit, lie, kneel, squat) and precipitation falling (rain, snow). For body positions, the preposition on or onto usually follows. For commands to animals, sit down or lie down are standard.
Common Mistakes
3. firmly placed, attached, or secured into position so that nothing moves or comes
firmly placed, attached, or secured into position so that nothing moves or comes loose
Linh hammered the tent pegs down into the hard ground.
verb + object + down + into [something]
Make sure the carpet is glued down at the edges.
passive: be + past participle + down
Folake pressed down firmly on the lid until it clicked.
The wooden crate was strapped down so it would not move.
All the picture frames were nailed down before the storm arrived.
passive: were + past participle + down
- glue down
- strap down
- hammer down
- screw down
- nail down
- tie down
- pin down
- press down
- weight down
- loose
not firmly attached or secured
Grammar Patterns
verb + object + down
be + past participle + down
Usage Note
Often used in the passive voice with past participles such as glued, strapped, nailed, screwed, tied, or pinned. The object is usually something that could move or come loose otherwise.
4. so that an amount, level, speed, or degree becomes smaller or less strong — for
so that an amount, level, speed, or degree becomes smaller or less strong — for instance, making a sound quieter or reducing the heat
Christopher turned the volume down so the baby could sleep.
turn [object] down for reducing a level
The price of rice has gone down in the local market.
go down for prices/amounts decreasing
Tara turned down the heat after the soup began to boil.
turn down + [heat/fire/oven]
Rin managed to bring her weight down by eating well.
The wind slowed down as the storm moved out to sea.
slow down for decreasing speed
- go down
- come down
- turn down
- bring down
- slow down
- cool down
- calm down
- cut down
- up
to a higher amount, degree, or level
Grammar Patterns
verb + down
verb + object + down
Usage Note
Very productive in phrasal combinations with verbs of reduction, including turn down (sound/heat), go down (prices/levels), come down (prices/amounts), bring down (costs/levels), slow down (speed), cool down (temperature), and calm down (emotions). The opposite pattern uses up: turn up, go up, etc.
Common Mistakes
5. so that a structure or object is broken, destroyed, or no longer standing becaus
so that a structure or object is broken, destroyed, or no longer standing because of force or effort by someone
The old barn was burned down in the fire last summer.
passive: be burned down for destruction by fire
Workers knocked down the wall to make the kitchen bigger.
Rin cut down the dead tree before it could hit the house.
cut down for felling trees
The storm blew down power lines across the county road.
Anya tore down all the old posters from her bedroom wall.
tear down for removing from a surface
- burn down
- knock down
- cut down
- tear down
- blow down
- pull down
- rip down
- to the ground
more literal; emphasises the final position
- apart
suggests breaking into pieces rather than falling ('break apart')
- up
in 'put up' or 'build up', the opposite of destroying or removing
Grammar Patterns
verb + object + down
verb + down + object
Usage Note
Used in phrasal combinations that describe destroying or removing something built or standing. The object is typically a structure (building, wall, tree) or something attached (posters, fences). Distinguish from the LOWER POSITION sense: in this sense the object is destroyed or removed, not simply moved downward.
Common Mistakes
6. onto paper or into a written or digital record, so that information is saved for
onto paper or into a written or digital record, so that information is saved for later use
Christopher wrote down the meeting date in his notebook.
write down for recording information
Did you put your phone number down on the form?
put down for completing a written field
The teacher wrote down the homework on the whiteboard.
Rania scribbled down the directions while Rin read them out.
scribble down for quick informal note-taking
Please note down the address before you leave for the trip.
- write down
- put down
- note down
- jot down
- copy down
- take down
- scribble down
- on paper
emphasises the physical medium
- in writing
emphasises the result rather than the act
Grammar Patterns
verb + object + down
verb + down + object
Usage Note
Common in phrasal combinations: write down, put down, note down, take down, copy down, and jot down. These all mean recording information on paper or in a digital document. The object can go between the verb and down ('write the number down') or after down ('write down the number').
Common Mistakes
7. at or moving to a location that is far away from where the speaker currently is,
at or moving to a location that is far away from where the speaker currently is, or far from a big city or main area
The nearest supermarket is down in the village, about three kilometres from here.
down in + place name for distant location
Christopher went down to London for a job interview last week.
down to + city for movement towards centre
Élise lives down in the countryside, far from the noise of the city.
Aoi moved down from the city to a small town to start a quieter life.
down from + central place to + less central
Dewi went down to the market to buy fresh vegetables for dinner.
- down in + place
- down to + place
- down from + place
- go down
- come down
- move down
- up
indicates movement toward a central or important place, such as a big city
Grammar Patterns
down + in/at/to [place]
Usage Note
Often appears in the pattern 'down in/at/to [place]' where the place is understood as being at a distance or less central than the speaker's current location.
Common Mistakes
8. in or towards a southern part of a country, region, or the world
in or towards a southern part of a country, region, or the world
The Watanabe family moved down south for warmer weather and lower heating bills.
down south for movement to a southern region
Every autumn the birds fly down to Africa for the winter months.
down to + southern location
Shanti's new job is down in Brighton, so she needs a flat near the beach.
Camila travelled down from Scotland to visit her grandparents in Devon.
down from + northern place to + southern place
The train goes down to the south coast, stopping at several seaside towns.
- down south
- down to + southern place
- go down
- move down
- fly down
- southwards
more formal and directional; 'down' is more conversational
- northwards
opposite direction; not typically expressed with 'up' in all contexts
Grammar Patterns
down + south
down + in/to [southern place]
Usage Note
Commonly paired with 'south' to form the fixed phrase 'down south'. In British English, 'down' often means travelling away from London toward the south coast.
9. given or transferred by someone older or from an earlier period to someone young
given or transferred by someone older or from an earlier period to someone younger or a later period — for example, when a skill, tradition, or object moves through generations
The silver bracelet has been passed down through four generations of women.
pass down + prepositional phrase for generational transfer
Zuri's father handed down his collection of jazz records to her when she turned sixteen.
These cooking traditions have been handed down from grandmother to granddaughter for centuries.
handed down from [older] to [younger]
The old folk songs were passed down by word of mouth before being written down.
passed down by word of mouth
Padma treasures the wedding ring that was handed down to her by her great-aunt.
- pass down
- hand down
- handed down from
- passed down through
Grammar Patterns
pass/hand/send something down
Usage Note
Nearly always appears with the verbs 'pass', 'hand', or 'send'. The object being transferred is typically a skill, tradition, story, or valued item.
Common Mistakes
10. into the stomach — used after verbs such as 'swallow', 'get', 'keep', or 'wash'
into the stomach — used after verbs such as 'swallow', 'get', 'keep', or 'wash' to describe food, drink, or medicine going into your body
Leo tried to swallow the bitter medicine down without making a face.
swallow + object + down
Sivan was so nervous before the exam that she could not keep any breakfast down.
keep + object + down (negative)
Kian drank the whole glass of cold water down in a single gulp.
The kitten swallowed a piece of string down and had to go to the vet.
Alessia felt the warm soup go down and her cold symptoms began to ease.
go down for food/liquid entering stomach
- swallow down
- get down
- keep down
- go down
- wash down
- up
as in 'bring up' meaning to vomit
Grammar Patterns
swallow/drink/get/keep something down
Usage Note
Frequently appears in negative contexts with 'keep' — 'cannot keep something down' means unable to stop vomiting. With 'swallow' or 'drink', it adds emphasis to the act of consuming.
Common Mistakes
11. as an initial portion of the total price, paid when you buy something — used whe
as an initial portion of the total price, paid when you buy something — used when you pay part of the cost of an expensive item and promise to pay the rest later
They put ten thousand pounds down on a house, paying the rest over twenty-five years.
put + amount + down + on + [item]
Kian paid two thousand down on a used car with monthly payments for the balance.
Most buyers put at least ten per cent down when buying a flat in this city.
put + percentage + down
Padma paid a small amount down on the sofa to reserve it until next weekend.
Alessia put five hundred euros down on the wedding venue to secure the booking.
- put down
- pay down
- put + money + down on
- pay + money + down on
- deposit
noun form; 'put down a deposit' is equivalent to 'put money down'
Grammar Patterns
pay/put + amount + down
pay/put + amount + down + on + [item]
Usage Note
The amount paid 'down' is called a 'down payment' (US) or 'deposit' (UK). This sense is most common in the patterns 'put [money] down on [item]' and 'pay [money] down on [item]'.
Common Mistakes
be down to somebody
idiomIt means that someone is responsible for doing something.
It is down to you to lock the office tonight.
Who is it down to to organize the party?
It means that something is caused by a specific person or thing.
His success is down to hard work and luck.
The delay was down to a computer error.
be down to something
idiomIt means that someone has only a small amount of something left.
I am down to my last ten dollars.
We are down to just two eggs for breakfast.
It means to become ill with a particular disease.
Maya went down with the flu last week.
Half the class is down with a stomach bug.
down and dirty
idiomIt describes behavior that is unfair or aggressive, especially to win.
The debate got down and dirty very quickly.
He played down and dirty to beat his opponent.
It means over a long period of time, usually many years.
Down through the centuries, the castle has stood.
Traditions have been passed down through the generations.
It means including every small part or detail of something.
She planned the wedding down to the last flower.
He checked the report down to the smallest detail.
down under
idiomIt refers to Australia and New Zealand, or going there.
My cousin moved down under last year.
Have you ever visited down under?
It means to learn or master something so you can do it easily.
After practice, she finally got the dance down.
He has the whole speech down perfectly.
It means that a determined person will succeed despite difficulties.
He lost his job but started a business. You can't keep a good man down.
After failing the exam, she studied harder and passed. You can't keep a good man down.
Used to express strong opposition to a person or thing.
The protesters shouted, "Down with the new law!"
Did you hear the crowd chanting "Down with the dictator"?
down — prefix
1. used before nouns, verbs, and adjectives to give the idea of something being in
used before nouns, verbs, and adjectives to give the idea of something being in a lower position, having less importance, power, or value, or becoming worse than before
After the scandal, the CEO's downfall was sudden and complete.
prefix: downfall = fall from power
The factory had to downsize because fewer people were buying its products.
prefix: downsize = reduce in size
The airline downgraded Jin's seat from business class to economy.
prefix: downgrade = reduce to lower level
Christopher tried to downplay his injury so his mother would not worry.
prefix: downplay = make seem less important
The downpour lasted three hours and flooded the village roads.
prefix: downpour = heavy rain
- downfall
- downsize
- downgrade
- downplay
- downpour
- up-
the opposite prefix, meaning higher, greater, or better (e.g. upgrade, uplift)
Usage Note
The base word keeps its original spelling when down- is attached. Common words formed with this prefix include downfall (a sudden loss of power or success), downsize (to reduce the number of employees), downgrade (to reduce to a lower level), downplay (to make something seem less important), and downpour (a heavy fall of rain).
down — preposition
1. moving from a higher place toward a lower place — for example, going down a hill
moving from a higher place toward a lower place — for example, going down a hill, down stairs, or down a wall
Yael walked carefully down the stairs with her baby brother.
down + the stairs — common direction collocation
Tears rolled down Tanvi's cheeks during the sad wedding scene.
A red kite fell down the roof and landed in the garden.
down + the roof — surface from which something falls
Karim threw the ball down the hill and his dog ran after it.
Rain ran down the wall after the storm passed over the town.
down + the wall — liquid moving on a vertical surface
- walk down
- run down
- roll down
- fall down
- climb down
- flow down
- up
opposite direction: from a lower to a higher position
Grammar Patterns
down + noun phrase (place or surface)
Usage Note
Subject of the sentence is usually a person or thing that moves or is moved. Frequently used with verbs of motion such as walk, run, fall, roll, climb, and flow.
Common Mistakes
2. following the line or course of a road, river, path, corridor, or similar surfac
following the line or course of a road, river, path, corridor, or similar surface — moving from one point to another along it
Mayumi walked down the street to buy some bread and milk.
down the street — most common ALONG collocation
Femi's boat drifted down the river toward the old wooden bridge.
There is a nice coffee shop just down the road from the library.
just down the road — distance expression
Jin ran down the corridor to catch the elevator before it closed.
Élise pushed her bicycle down the path through the park every morning.
- walk down
- go down
- run down
- drive down
- sail down
- just down
- further down
Grammar Patterns
down + road/street/river/path/corridor
Usage Note
Unlike sense 1 (LOWER POSITION), this sense does not imply any change in height — the surface may be flat. The focus is on covering distance along a linear feature.
Common Mistakes
3. to or toward the far end of something, or to a particular point along a route —
to or toward the far end of something, or to a particular point along a route — emphasizing the destination or the endpoint rather than the path itself
James lives three houses down the street from the library on the corner.
number + down + noun — distance measurement pattern
The restroom is down the hall on the left, next to the stairs.
Rodrigo walked down the garden to check on his tomato plants.
A gas station sits further down the highway about three miles away.
Mark moved the chairs down the deck so guests could see the view.
- down the hall
- down the road
- down the street
- down the garden
- down the deck
- further down
- way down
Grammar Patterns
down + noun phrase (destination or endpoint)
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 2 (ALONG): sense 2 describes movement along a linear path without emphasizing the endpoint, while sense 3 focuses on reaching or being at a specific destination. Compare 'She walked down the street' (ALONG, focusing on the act of walking) with 'She lives down the street' (TO, focusing on location).
Word family
- downwardadverb / adjectiveB1
- downhilladverb / adjectiveB1
- downstairsadverb / adjectiveA2
- downpournounB2
- downturnnounB2
- downfallnounB2
- downsizeverbC1
- downgradeverbC1
- downplayverbC1
- downloadverbA2
- downheartedadjectiveC1
- downwindadverb / adjectiveB2
- downbeatadjectiveC1
- downcastadjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
Down, sad, depressed, low, and blue all describe negative emotional states, but they differ in intensity and register. Down is informal and general — it describes temporary sadness without clinical seriousness ('I felt down after losing the game'). Sad is the most neutral and flexible, suitable in both casual conversation and formal writing ('She felt sad when her friend moved away'). Depressed is stronger and can refer to a clinical condition requiring treatment ('He has been clinically depressed for months'). Low is similar to down but slightly milder ('I've been feeling low lately'). Blue is informal, mild, and somewhat old-fashioned, often suggesting a gentle, reflective sadness ('She felt blue on rainy days'). Learners should use sad in formal contexts, down or low in casual speech, and reserve depressed for serious or medical situations.
Common collocations
Nouns
- ups and downs
- down payment
- down side
- down time
Adverbs
- up and down
- down below
- down there
- way down
- all the way down
- far down
Phrases
- down the road (figurative)
- down the line
- down to earth
- down to business
- down on your luck
- down in the dumps
- down the drain
Prepositions
- down to
- down by
- down from
- down through
- down towards
- down around
Etymology
Down traces back to Old English 'dūne', short for 'of dūne' meaning 'off the hill' or 'away from the height'. The earlier root is Proto-Germanic *dūnaz (hill), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *dheue- (to scatter, fly about). The original spatial meaning of moving from a high place downward gradually expanded over centuries into emotional states (feeling down), technological failure (the system is down), written recording (write it down), and the prefix sense of 'lower' or 'worse' (downfall, downgrade).