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down-(8) (iou)



down- prefix.
[Repr. DOWN adverb, preposition.]
Prefixed to nouns, adjectives, and verbs in various relations and in various senses, esp. indicating (a) position below, at a lower level (of), or further from the interior or source (of), as downhole, downrange, downside; (b) motion or direction down, downwards, to a lower level (of), or further away from the interior or source (of), as down-curved, downpipe, downrate.
downbow noun (Music) a stroke in which a bow is drawn across a string from the heel to the tip L19.
downburst noun a strong downward current of air from a cumulonimbus cloud, usu. associated with intense rain or a thunderstorm L20.
down-calving adjective (of a cow or heifer) near the time of calving L19.
down-'channel adverb & adjective (moving, leading, etc.) towards the lower end of a channel M19.
downcoast adjective & adverb (situated, extending, etc.) further down the coast L19.
downcurrent noun a descending current of air or water M19.
down-curved adjective curved downwards M20.
down-dip adjective & adverb (situated or occurring) in a direction downwards along the dip E20.
down-draught noun (a) Scot. a ne'er-do-well, a profligate; a depressing influence; (b) a descending current of air, esp. down a chimney into a room: M19.
down-'easter noun (N. Amer.) a person who lives or was born Down East E19.
downface verb trans. contradict, controvert; browbeat; outwit: E20.
downfault verb trans. (Geology) move downwards in faulting M20.
downfold noun (Geology) a syncline E20.
downforce noun a force produced by a combination of air resistance and gravity which acts on a moving vehicle with the effect of pressing it down towards the ground and giving it increased stability L20.
downglide noun (Phonetics) a glide from a relatively high tone to a lower one M20.
down-gyved adjective (rare, Shakes.) hanging down like fetters: only in E17.
downhaul noun (Nautical) a rope by which a sail, spar, or flag is hauled down; a rope that stops the end of a spinnaker boom from lifting: M17.
down-'home adjective (chiefly US) pertaining to, or reminiscent of, one's home; unaffected, unpretentious: E20.
downlight,
downlighter nouns a light placed or designed to throw illumination downwards M20.
downlink noun a telecommunications link for signals coming from a spacecraft to earth L20.
download verb & noun (Computing) (a) verb trans. transfer (software or data) to a smaller machine; (b) noun the action or process of downloading software or data: L20.
downloadable adjective (Computing) able to be downloaded L20.
downlooked adjective having downward or downcast looks, guilty-looking; demure: M17-E19.
downlooking adjective that looks down L18.
downpipe noun a pipe leading downwards, esp. one to carry rainwater from a roof to a drain M19.
downplay verb trans. play down, make little of M20.
downrange adverb & adjective (situated or occurring) at a point along the course of a missile, spacecraft, etc., or beyond the (intended) landing-place M20.
down-river adverb & adjective (a) adverb at or towards a point nearer the mouth of a river; (b) adjective situated or occurring down-river: M19.
downset noun (a) rare a going down or setting (as) of the sun; (b) Scot. an establishment, a settlement; (c) rare a rebuke: E17.
downshift noun & verb (a) noun a movement downwards, esp. a change to a lower gear in a motor vehicle; (b) verb intrans. make a downshift: M19.
downsize verb trans. (chiefly US) reduce in size, make in a smaller size L20.
downspout noun (chiefly US) a downpipe from a roof L19.
down-'stage adverb, adjective, & (after prepositions) noun (at or towards, of or pertaining to) the front of a theatre stage L19.
downstart noun [after upstart] a person who has descended to, or falsely claims to originate from, a humble social position L19.
down-street adverb (colloq. & dial.) down the street; in, into, or towards the lower part of a town: E19.
down-stroke noun a downward stroke, esp. of a pen etc. on paper M19.
downsun adverb & adjective in a direction away from the sun M20.
down-the-line adjective & noun (a) adjective thorough, out and out; (b) adjective & noun (designating) trap-shooting in which shooters stand at fixed firing positions along a straight line, and move to the next position on the line after a certain number of shots: M20.
downtime noun (a) time, or an occasion, when a machine, computer, or vehicle is out of action or not available for use; (b) (an opportunity for) time off; a rest: M20.
down-to-date adjective up-to-date L19.
downtoner noun (Linguistics) an adjective or adverb which reduces the force of what it qualifies, or constitutes a weak or partial denial of it M20.
downturn noun a downward turn, esp. in economic conditions E20.
downwarp noun & verb (Geology) (a) noun a gentle extensive depression of the earth's surface; (b) verb trans. & intrans. (cause to) undergo downwarping: E20.
downwarping noun (Geology) the local sinking of the earth's surface to form a downwarp E20.
downwash noun (Aeronautics) the downward deflection of an air-stream by a wing etc. E20.
down'weigh verb trans. weigh down, depress, (lit. & fig.); outweigh: E17.
downzone verb trans. (US) assign (land, property) to a lower, more restrictive zoning grade M20.