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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Down \Down\, n. [Akin to LG. dune, dun, Icel. d?nn, Sw. dun,
Dan. duun, G. daune, cf. D. dons; perh. akin to E. dust.]
1. Fine, soft, hairy outgrowth from the skin or surface of
animals or plants, not matted and fleecy like wool; esp.:
(a) (Zool.) The soft under feathers of birds. They have
short stems with soft rachis and bards and long
threadlike barbules, without hooklets.
(b) (Bot.) The pubescence of plants; the hairy crown or
envelope of the seeds of certain plants, as of the
thistle.
(c) The soft hair of the face when beginning to appear.
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And the first down begins to shade his face.
--Dryden.
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2. That which is made of down, as a bed or pillow; that which
affords ease and repose, like a bed of down
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When in the down I sink my head,
Sleep, Death's twin brother, times my breath.
--Tennyson.
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Thou bosom softness, down of all my cares!
--Southern.
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{Down tree} (Bot.), a tree of Central America ({Ochroma
Lagopus}), the seeds of which are enveloped in vegetable
wool.
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Down \Down\ (doun), v. t.
To cover, ornament, line, or stuff with down. [R.] --Young.
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Down \Down\, n. [OE. dun, doun, AS. d[=u]n; of Celtic origin;
cf. Ir. d[=u]n hill, fortified hill, Gael. dun heap, hillock,
hill, W. din a fortified hill or mount; akin to E. town. See
{Town}, and cf. {Down}, adv. & prep., {Dune}.]
1. A bank or rounded hillock of sand thrown up by the wind
along or near the shore; a flattish-topped hill; --
usually in the plural.
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Hills afford prospects, as they must needs
acknowledge who have been on the downs of Sussex.
--Ray.
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She went by dale, and she went by down. --Tennyson.
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2. A tract of poor, sandy, undulating or hilly land near the
sea, covered with fine turf which serves chiefly for the
grazing of sheep; -- usually in the plural. [Eng.]
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Seven thousand broad-tailed sheep grazed on his
downs. --Sandys.
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3. pl. A road for shipping in the English Channel or Straits
of Dover, near Deal, employed as a naval rendezvous in
time of war.
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On the 11th [June, 1771] we run up the channel . . .
at noon we were abreast of Dover, and about three
came to an anchor in the Downs, and went ashore at
Deal. --Cook (First
Voyage).
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4. pl. [From the adverb.] A state of depression; low state;
abasement. [Colloq.]
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It the downs of life too much outnumber the ups.
--M. Arnold.
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Down \Down\, adv. [For older adown, AS. ad[=u]n, ad[=u]ne,
prop., from or off the hill. See 3d {Down}, and cf. {Adown},
and cf. {Adown}.]
1. In the direction of gravity or toward the center of the
earth; toward or in a lower place or position; below; --
the opposite of {up}.
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2. Hence, in many derived uses, as:
(a) From a higher to a lower position, literally or
figuratively; in a descending direction; from the top
of an ascent; from an upright position; to the ground
or floor; to or into a lower or an inferior condition;
as, into a state of humility, disgrace, misery, and
the like; into a state of rest; -- used with verbs
indicating motion.
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It will be rain to-night. Let it come down.
--Shak.
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I sit me down beside the hazel grove.
--Tennyson.
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And that drags down his life. --Tennyson.
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There is not a more melancholy object in the
learned world than a man who has written himself
down. --Addison.
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The French . . . shone down [i. e., outshone]
the English. --Shak.
(b) In a low or the lowest position, literally or
figuratively; at the bottom of a descent; below the
horizon; on the ground; in a condition of humility,
dejection, misery, and the like; in a state of quiet.
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I was down and out of breath. --Shak.
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The moon is down; I have not heard the clock.
--Shak.
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He that is down needs fear no fall. --Bunyan.
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3. From a remoter or higher antiquity.
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Venerable men! you have come down to us from a
former generation. --D. Webster.
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4. From a greater to a less bulk, or from a thinner to a
thicker consistence; as, to boil down in cookery, or in
making decoctions. --Arbuthnot.
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Note: Down is sometimes used elliptically, standing for go
down, come down, tear down, take down, put down, haul
down, pay down, and the like, especially in command or
exclamation.

Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the duke.
--Shak.
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If he be hungry more than wanton, bread alone
will down. --Locke.
Down is also used intensively; as, to be loaded down;
to fall down; to hang down; to drop down; to pay down.

The temple of Her[`e] at Argos was burnt down.
--Jowett
(Thucyd.).
Down, as well as up, is sometimes used in a
conventional sense; as, down East.

Persons in London say down to Scotland, etc., and
those in the provinces, up to London.
--Stormonth.
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{Down helm} (Naut.), an order to the helmsman to put the helm
to leeward.

{Down on} or {Down upon} (joined with a verb indicating
motion, as go, come, pounce), to attack, implying the idea
of threatening power.
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Come down upon us with a mighty power. --Shak.

{Down with}, take down, throw down, put down; -- used in
energetic command, often by people aroused in crowds,
referring to people, laws, buildings, etc.; as, down with
the king! "Down with the palace; fire it." --Dryden.

{To be down on}, to dislike and treat harshly. [Slang, U.S.]


{To cry down}. See under {Cry}, v. t.

{To cut down}. See under {Cut}, v. t.

{Up and down}, with rising and falling motion; to and fro;
hither and thither; everywhere. "Let them wander up and
down." --Ps. lix. 15.
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Down \Down\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Downed}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Downing}.]
To cause to go down; to make descend; to put down; to
overthrow, as in wrestling; hence, to subdue; to bring down.
[Archaic or Colloq.] "To down proud hearts." --Sir P. Sidney.
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I remember how you downed Beauclerk and Hamilton, the
wits, once at our house. --Madame
D'Arblay.
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Down \Down\, v. i.
To go down; to descend. --Locke.
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Down \Down\, a.
1. Downcast; as, a down look. [R.]
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2. Downright; absolute; positive; as, a down denial. [Obs.]
--Beau. & Fl.
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3. Downward; going down; sloping; as, a down stroke; a down
grade; a down train on a railway.
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{Down draught}, a downward draft, as in a flue, chimney,
shaft of a mine, etc.

{Down in the mouth}, {Down at the mouth} chopfallen;
dejected.
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Down \Down\, prep. [From {Down}, adv.]
1. In a descending direction along; from a higher to a lower
place upon or within; at a lower place in or on; as, down
a hill; down a well.
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2. Hence: Towards the mouth of a river; towards the sea; as,
to sail or swim down a stream; to sail down the sound.
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{Down the country}, toward the sea, or toward the part where
rivers discharge their waters into the ocean.

{Down the sound}, in the direction of the ebbing tide; toward
the sea.
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