| 释义 |
down
I. \ˈdau̇n\ noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English doun hill, from Old English dūn; akin to Middle Dutch dūne dune, Old Irish dūn fortress, Sanskrit dhūnoti he shakes — more at down (feathers)
1. archaic : hill; often : a hillock of sand thrown up by the wind on or near a shore : dune
2.
a. : an undulating generally treeless upland with sparse soil — usually used in plural
b. downs plural, often capitalized : treeless chalk uplands along the south and southeast coast of England
3. often capitalized : a sheep of any breed originating in the downs of southern England typically being of good mutton conformation and producing moderately fine wool of medium length — compare southdown
II. adverb
Etymology: Middle English doun, from Old English dūne, short for adūne, of dūne, from a- (from of) or of off, from + dūne, dative of dūn hill — more at of
1.
a. : in the direction of gravity or toward the center of the earth
< down beneath the solid crust of the earth >
: from a higher point to or toward the earth's surface
< the wind blew all the apples down >
: to the ground or other base
< the house burned down during the night >
< planning to tear down the old shed >
b. : from a higher to a lower place or position
< pull down the blind >
< then we turned down toward the valley >
< looking down over the face of the cliff >
c. : from an upright position to or toward a surface regarded as a base in respect to which something is normally oriented
< the roof sagging, the chimney tumbling down >
or to or into a state more relaxed or more humble
< do sit down >
< let slaves bow down when freemen pass >
d. : out of one's hands or charge
< put the cake down on the table >
< lay down your book for a minute >
often : into such a position as to free or relieve one
< put down your load and rest >
< laying down the burdens of state >
e. : in or into a recumbent position
< lie down and go to sleep >
< knocked his opponent down with a sudden blow >
f. : toward or below the horizon
< the sun far down in the west >
< the moon went down an hour ago >
g. : to or toward the bottom of a body of water
< sank down before they could reach him >
h. : from an upper to a lower floor in a building especially to meet or join companions
< I'll come down in a minute >
< all of us hurried down to dinner >
i. : toward the bottom of a sheet or page of paper
< here your hand, guiding your rapid pen, moved up and down — Edna S.V.Millay >
— in most senses opposed to or contrasted with up; often used as a function word to intensify a modified verb especially of action or motion; sometimes used with the force of a verb in command or exclamation
< down before he sees who you are >
< down on your knees, ungrateful girl, and pray for forgiveness >
2.
a. : in a direction that is conventionally or temporarily the opposite of up
b. : from an outlying part to or toward a center of activity (as a business district, a metropolis, or a terminal point); often : to or toward the lower part of town : downtown
c. : from a center of activity to or toward an outlying part or remote place
< going down to the country for a rest >
often : to a place other than one's regular or urban abode to which one has a right to issue invitations
< come down to our camp on the river anytime >
< grandma would love to have you run down some weekend >
d. Britain : away from a university or other seat of learning
< sent down for misconduct without his degree >
< he got a job in advertising shortly after he came down and has stayed with the firm ever since >
e. : in a southerly direction
< they went down to Florida for Christmas >
f. : to a source or a place of concealment
< tracking down a wounded deer >
< run down this vile rumor >
< I'm not sure how you can track down that quotation >
g. : in or into the stomach
< he eats but the food won't stay down >
< get your drink down, we're late already >
3.
a. : to or into a lower or inferior state (as of humility, defeat, disgrace, or restraint)
< held down by his lack of education >
< a man come down in life >
b. : to a point of complete control, stoppage, or quiet
< tie down the load >
< now calm down, my dear >
< they had to strap the patient down >
< shouting down the opposition >
c. : to a great or the utmost degree : very heavily
< burdened down with the cares of a family >
d. : to completion : fully : from top to bottom
< I dusted down the whole house >
< wash down the car >
e. : under a perennial crop
< it is sometimes profitable to leave land down to hay for several years >
4.
a. : with forcible or abrupt descent
< fell down and cut his lip >
b. : actively, seriously, vigorously
< finally settled down to work >
5. : from a past time : from remoter times or people
< tales handed down by word of mouth >
< these spoons have passed down in our family since the 17th century >
6.
a. : from a greater to a lesser amount, bulk, or strength
< don't forget to water down the wine >
b. : from a thinner to a thicker consistency
< boiled down the sap into syrup >
: from a larger dilute volume to a smaller more concentrated one
< finally got his report down to three pages >
c. : from a higher to a lower value
< most stocks went down last week >
d. : in descending order of rank — used of a series of plays or discards from the same suit in certain card games
7. : in or into symbols (as written letters) that can be preserved for future reference
< write down everything she says >
< put down the following figures >
8.
a. : in or into a position indicative of an intent to bet (as on a particular number)
< he put his money down on the red >
: at hazard
< the chips are down, the result is in the hands of fate >
b. : immediately in cash
< I can't pay more than $10 down >
9. : into defeat — used chiefly in relation to the scoring of games
< we went down two tricks >
10.
a. : in lower case or with a lower-case initial letter
b. : on a verso page and with its head next to the binding edge — used of the facing of an illustration
11. : to press or the pressroom — used of newspaper copy or an edition of a newspaper
< the edition has already gone down >
12. : toward the front of a theatrical stage — compare downstage
13. : in or into a perfected or thoroughly understood state
< had the subject down pat >
•
- down to the ground
- down with
III. \(|)dau̇n\ preposition
1.
a. : in a descending direction along
< swiftly rolling down the hill >
b. : from a higher to a lower point upon or within
< sweat trickling down his neck >
c. : at a lower level on or in
< we keep the butter down the well >
2.
a. : along the course of
< children running down the street >
b. : from the source toward the mouth of
< a rapids three miles further down the stream >
: toward the outlet or southerly end of
< we wandered down the valley >
c. : along the margin of
< steaming down the coast >
d. : in the same course as : with
< clouds blowing down the wind >
3. — used as a function word to indicate movement in the opposite direction to a direction arbitrarily designated up without regard to actual ascent or descent
< pacing up and down the room >
4. : down into the
< he went down town >
< he went down cellar >
: down in the
< they had some canned goods down cellar >
— often used in combination with a following noun to form adverbs and adjectives
< the downriver end of town >
IV. \ˈdau̇n\ adjective
1.
a. : going or directed down
b. : declining from a previous or normal level
< new construction is sharply down >
c. : conveying or for conveying downward
d. : running vertically
< down lines on a ledger page >
2.
a. : reduced temporarily to a state of inactivity, inoperativeness, or depression
< the wind is down >
b. : low in spirits : downcast
< I'm completely down and out of sorts today >
also : fallen from a better to a worse or from a higher to a lower state
< don't kick a man when he's down >
c. : suffering from ill health
< my wife is down with malaria >
sometimes : off the feet especially because of illness
< always try to get a down horse on his feet >
< half the herd was down before morning >
d. : closed down (as for repairs, remodeling, reorganization)
< the shop will be down while the new machines are installed >
< it's unlikely that most of the down watermills will reopen >
e. of an electric battery : not adequately charged
f. of a football : not being in play because its progress is wholly stopped or the officials stop the play for any reason
3. : occupying or returned to a low or a lower position or state
< the window is down from the top >
: on or toward the ground, floor, or any surface regarded as a base with respect to which something is oriented
< the shades are down >
< all the vines are down >
as
a. : below the horizon
< the moon is down >
b. : lower in price or characterized by lower prices
< wheat is down over 10 per cent >
c. of grass : fallen to the ground after being mowed
d. of timber : lying on the ground especially as the result of being blown over or cut
e. of a boxer : having any part of the body other than the feet in contact with the floor; also : in a position of helplessness if so recognized by the referee
f. of a team or contestant : defeated or behind an opponent (as in points scored)
< he was down on all cards at the middle of the 10th round >
< the honors broke badly and they were down two tricks >
g. : retired from play : out — used chiefly in baseball
h. of a cricket wicket : broken so that a batsman is out
i. : written or printed with a lower-case letter or initial letter; also : partial to lower-case rather than capital initial letters
< a down style >
4.
a. : directed to or forming part of the traffic to a place (as a business section, metropolis, or terminal) conventionally regarded as lower
< you can take a down train at the local station >
< down traffic is heavy this morning >
b. : of, relating to, or intended for the use of down traffic or transportation
< go to the down platform in the subway station >
5. of a payment : being that part of a price that is paid at the time of purchase or delivery when the entire price is not then paid
< a down payment of $10 >
6. : gone to press — used of an item of news copy or of an edition of a newspaper
< the paper was down in the late afternoon >
7. : finished, consumed, processed
< eight down and two to go >
•
- down on
V. \ˈdau̇n\ noun
(-s)
1.
a. : a descent, decline, depression, or dwindling — used especially in the phrase ups and downs
< emotional ups and downs >
< the recurrent ups and downs of the business cycle >
< the erratic ups and downs of livestock production >
b. : a reverse in fortune; often : a period of depressed activity (as in business)
< certain industries are especially subject to seasonal downs >
c. : an alteration in the quality of a speaker's voice (as in radio acting) designed to distinguish narration from dialogue in matter he is reciting
2.
a. : an instance of putting down (as an opponent in wrestling)
b.
(1) : the termination of an attempt to advance the ball in football occurring when the referee blows his whistle or declares the ball dead
(2) : a complete play to advance the ball or its duration
c. : failure to score on a badminton serve — called also handout
3. : a firm and persistent dislike : grudge — used with the indefinite article and with on
< why should she have such a down on me? >
VI. verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
transitive verb
: to cause to come or go down: as
a. : swallow
< quickly downing his drink >
b. : to relegate to obscurity or forgetfulness : suppress
< he could not down his regrets >
c. : to get the better of : defeat
< the coalition downed the bill after a lengthy fight >
< do our best to protect the one and down the other — John Buchan >
d.
(1) : to bring to a stop (as a game animal or an adversary) by a shot or blow
< market hunters downing geese by the hundreds >
often : kill
(2) : to bring to the ground (a football opponent) by tackling
(3) : to shoot from the air (an aircraft)
< accidentally downed a British airliner >
e.
(1) : to put (the helm) down
(2) : to lower (as a signal or sail)
(3) : to decrease the rate or speed of (the revolutions of a propeller)
f. : to lay aside : put down
< he downed his ax and sat on a stump to rest >
often : to cease to employ or engage in — usually used with a material object that may be taken as a symbol of an activity or occupation
< the boys downed their bats and fishing rods at vacation's end and went back to school >
< the union will certainly down tools if no settlement is reached >
intransitive verb
: to go down or be put down: as
a. : to become swallowed; sometimes : to appeal to the taste
< a drink that really downs on a wintry evening >
b. : to become brought to nothing or suppressed
< his regret may never down >
VII. noun
(plural down also downs)
Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Middle English doun, from Old Norse dūnn; akin to Old Norse daunn odor, dȳja to shake, Gothic dauns odor, Latin suffire to fumigate, Greek thyein to rage, Sanskrit dhūnoti he shakes, Latin fumus smoke — more at fume
1.
a. : a covering of soft fluffy feathers somewhat resembling fur that clothes young precocial birds before they acquire true feathers
b. : the small fluffy feathers that lie next to the body of adult birds, that are especially prominent over the abdomen, and that are notably developed and fine in texture in ducks, geese, and other water birds from which they are often collected and used for stuffing (as in pillows, sleeping bags, or bedcovers) because of their light weight and good insulating quality
< a down comforter >
< pluck the down from a hundred geese >
c. plural downs : one of the feathers making up the down of a bird
2. : something felt to resemble down especially in soft fluffy quality: as
a. : the first growth of beard on the human face
< a slender lad with just a trace of down on his cheeks >
also : fine soft hair elsewhere on the body
< tanned arms lightly covered with a silvery down >
b. : the pubescence of a plant
< wipe the down off the peaches >
also : a soft tuft (as a coma or pappus) on some plant part
c. : soft fur fiber usually from the undercoat of an animal
d. : a fine powdery coating or surface
< a down of crystals >
•
- in the down
VIII. transitive verb
(-ed/-ing/-s)
: to cover, ornament, line, or stuff with down : make downy
< a mouse downed in its winter coat — Herbert Gold >
IX. adjective
Usage: usually capitalized
Etymology: from Down, county of Northern Ireland
: of or from County Down, Northern Ireland : of the kind or style prevalent in County Down
X. adjective
1. slang : cool 8
< a down dude >
— often used as a generalized term of approval
2. : being a constituent of nucleons and having the quantum characteristics of an electric charge of - 1/3 and a baryon number of 1/3
< down quark >
— compare up herein
3. : being on record
< you're down for two tickets >
4. slang : friendly : favorable : supportive
< he's down with hip-hop > |