down*/*/*/

[daʊn] grammar word I

summary:

Down can be: ■ a preposition: She was walking down the street. ■ an adverb: She lay down and fell asleep. ■ used after the verb ‘to be': Oil prices are down. ■ an adjective: I've been feeling rather down lately.

1) to or towards a lower place to or towards a lower place, position, or surface

He slipped on the ice and fell down.[/ex]

Tears were rolling down his cheeks.[/ex]

Get down off that roof![/ex]

Put the box down on the table.[/ex]

the down escalator[/ex]

2) in a lower place in a lower place, or at a lower level

It was dark and cold down in the cellar.[/ex]

Your name's further down the list.[/ex]

We could hear noises coming from down below.[/ex]

3) in or into a sitting or lying position with your body in or moving into a sitting, bending, or lying position

Why don't you lie down and rest?[/ex]

exercises you can do while you are sitting down[/ex]

4) in a direction away from you in or towards a place that is in a direction away from you

I was walking down the street with a couple of friends.[/ex]

5) when sth is reduced at or to a smaller amount or a lower or weaker level than before

Turn down the radio.[/ex]

Profits are 15% down on (= less than) last year.[/ex]

6) when you write sth used for saying that you write something on a piece of paper

Let me write that down before I forget it.[/ex]

7) south in or towards the south

Thousands of Scottish fans travelled down to London for the match.[/ex]

8) when you eat or drink sth if food or drink goes down, it goes from your mouth to your stomach

9) sad informal

unhappy

He's been feeling very down.[/ex]

10) losing a game with a lower score than your opponent

At half-time our team were two goals down.[/ex]

11) not working if a computer system is down, it is not working

12) already done used for saying how many things you have dealt with and how many more still need to be dealt with

That's two classes down and four to go.[/ex]

•

be down to sb — British to be someone's responsibility[/ex]

down to — 1) used for emphasizing that everyone or everything is included[/ex]

Everything had been carefully planned, right down to the last detail.[/ex]

— 2) Britishbecause of something

These delays are down to a lack of planning.[/ex]

II

noun [U]

down [daʊn]

the small soft feathers of a bird

III

verb [T]

down [daʊn]

to drink all of something quickly