Down Meaning

Down Definition & Usage
Located or moving towards a lower position or level.
Examples
- "The ball rolled down the hill."
- "She bent down to tie her shoes."
- "He fell down the stairs."
- "The temperature is expected to drop down tonight."
- "The car is parked down the street."
Moving or in a downward direction.
Examples
- "The plane descended down into the valley."
- "She looked down at her phone."
- "They were walking down the road when it started to rain."
- "Please sit down."
- "The bird swooped down to catch the fish."
To lower something or reduce its level.
Examples
- "Can you down the volume, please?"
- "He downed the drink in one go."
- "The company had to downsize due to economic difficulties."
- "She downed the project after many months of hard work."
- "The crowd began to down their flags after the match ended."
A downward direction or movement.
Examples
- "He gave a wave and then looked down the street."
- "The path leads you down to the river."
- "There was a loud crash as the vase fell with a thud down to the floor."
- "The economy is facing a down period, with many businesses closing."
- "The team is currently on a down after their recent loss."
To feel depressed or in a negative emotional state.
Examples
- "She’s feeling a bit down after the breakup."
- "I’ve been down lately because of all the work stress."
- "He tends to get down whenever it rains."
- "The news of the layoffs really brought me down."
- "After hearing the bad news, he felt down for the rest of the day."
Cultural Context
The word 'down' has Old English roots, deriving from 'dūn,' which referred to a hill or mound, highlighting its connection with downward or lower directions. Over time, 'down' evolved in both literal and metaphorical senses to cover a variety of contexts, from physical positioning to emotional states.
The Long Road Down
Story
The Long Road Down
Sophie had always been the life of the party, the one who could make everyone laugh with her spontaneous jokes and infectious energy. But lately, something felt different. As she stood by the window, gazing out at the rain-soaked street below, she couldn't shake the feeling of being down. It wasn't just the gloomy weather that brought her mood down; it was the constant pressure from work, the never-ending tasks that piled up like a mountain she couldn't climb. She sighed and looked down at the cup of tea in her hands, feeling a wave of exhaustion hit her. Later that evening, her best friend, Mia, called. "You’re sounding a little down, Soph. What’s going on?" Sophie chuckled softly, though it didn’t reach her eyes. "Just one of those days, you know? I’ve been feeling a bit down lately, just... overwhelmed by everything." Mia, ever the supportive friend, offered to come over, and Sophie agreed. After all, she could always count on Mia to lift her spirits. When Mia arrived, they sat down on the couch with their cups of tea, and Sophie began to unload everything that had been weighing her down. As the conversation shifted, Sophie realized she had been so focused on everything that was bringing her down that she had neglected the good things in her life. Mia smiled and reminded her, "It’s okay to feel down, but you don’t have to stay down. We can always look up, and things will get better." The two of them spent the rest of the evening reminiscing about old memories and planning their next trip together. By the time Mia left, Sophie felt lighter, as if the weight she had been carrying was slowly lifting. She realized that while she had been 'down' in the sense of feeling low emotionally, she didn’t have to stay there forever. Later, as she lay in bed, Sophie looked down at her phone to check the time. She realized that life, much like the road she had traveled that evening, was full of ups and downs. And as much as she had been feeling down, it was just a phase—a momentary dip in the path of life. Tomorrow, she would look forward to the upward journey ahead.

Related Words























