descendverb
uk/dɪˈsend/us/dɪˈsend/descend verb (POSITION)
B2 [ I or T ] formal to go or come down:
The path descended steeply into the valley.
Jane descended the stairs.
[ I ] literary If darkness or night descends, it becomes dark and day changes to night.
More examples
- She descended the sweeping staircase into the crowd of photographers and journalists.
- A signpost points to a short path descending amongst trees to a footbridge over the river.
- Ahead were clear signs of a path, descending into a valley.
- The main staircase descended into a large, panelled entrance hall.
- The audience applauded wildly as the curtain descended on the stage.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Enclosing, surrounding and immersing
- beleaguer
- beleaguered
- beset
- border
- box sb/sth in
- dunk
- fence sth off
- flood
- gather
- gift-wrap
- gift-wrapped
- girdle
- steep
- surround
- swallow
- wound 1
- wrap
- wrap (sb) up
- wrap sth around sb/sth
- wrapped
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descend verb (NEGATIVE MOOD)
[ I ] literary If a negative or bad feeling descends, it is felt everywhere in a place or by everyone at the same time:
A feeling of despair descended (on us) as we realized that we were lost.
[ I ] literary If a condition, usually a negative condition, descends, it quickly develops in every part of a place:
Silence descended on the room/over the countryside.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Enclosing, surrounding and immersing
- beleaguer
- beleaguered
- beset
- border
- box sb/sth in
- dunk
- fence sth off
- flood
- gather
- gift-wrap
- gift-wrapped
- girdle
- steep
- surround
- swallow
- wound 1
- wrap
- wrap (sb) up
- wrap sth around sb/sth
- wrapped
See more results »
Phrasal verb(s)
descend from sth
descend into sth
descend on/upon sb/sth
descend to sth