down|spout /daʊ nspaʊt/ (downspouts ) N‑COUNT A downspout is a pipe attached to the side of a building, through which water flows from the roof into a drain. [AM ] □ He installed rain gutters and downspouts. in BRIT, use drainpipe
Do wn's syn|drome also Do wn syn|drome N‑UNCOUNT Down's syndrome is a disorder that some people are born with. People who have Down's syndrome have physical differences, such as shorter stature, and learning difficulties.
down|stage /daʊ nste I dʒ/ ADV [ADV after v, be ADV ] When an actor is downstage or moves downstage , he or she is or moves towards the front part of the stage. [TECHNICAL ] □ Krishna stands downstage in the open area. ● ADJ [ADJ n] Downstage is also an adjective. □ …downstage members of the cast.
down|stairs /daʊ nsteə r z/
1 ADV [ADV after v] If you go downstairs in a building, you go down a staircase towards the ground floor. □ Denise went downstairs and made some tea.
2 ADV [be ADV , n ADV ] If something or someone is downstairs in a building, they are on the ground floor or on a lower floor than you. □ The telephone was downstairs in the entrance hall.
3 ADJ [ADJ n] Downstairs means situated on the ground floor of a building or on a lower floor than you are. □ She repainted the downstairs rooms and closed off the second floor.
4 N‑SING The downstairs of a building is its lower floor or floors. □ The downstairs of the two little houses had been entirely refashioned.
down|stream /daʊ nstriː m/ ADV [ADV after v, be ADV ] Something that is moving downstream is moving towards the mouth of a river, from a point further up the river. Something that is downstream is further towards the mouth of a river than where you are. □ We had drifted downstream. [Also + of/from ] ● ADJ [ADJ n] Downstream is also an adjective. □ Breaking the dam could submerge downstream cities such as Wuhan.
down|swing /daʊ nsw I ŋ/ (downswings ) N‑COUNT [usu sing] A downswing is a sudden downward movement in something such as an economy, that had previously been improving. □ The manufacturing economy remains on a downswing.
down|time /daʊ nta I m/
1 N‑UNCOUNT In industry, downtime is the time during which machinery or equipment is not operating. □ On the production line, downtime has been reduced from 55% to 26%.
2 N‑UNCOUNT In computing, downtime is time when a computer is not working.
3 N‑UNCOUNT Downtime is time when people are not working. [mainly AM ] □ Downtime in Hollywood can cost a lot of money.
do wn-to-ea rth ADJ If you say that someone is down-to-earth , you approve of the fact that they concern themselves with practical things and actions, rather than with abstract theories. [APPROVAL ] □ …her sincerity and her down-to-earth common sense.
down|town /daʊ ntaʊn/ ADJ [ADJ n] Downtown places are in or towards the centre of a large town or city, where the shops and places of business are. [mainly AM ] □ …an office in downtown Chicago. ● ADV [ADV after v] Downtown is also an adverb. □ By day he worked downtown for American Standard. [Also be ADV ] ● N‑UNCOUNT Downtown is also a noun. □ …in a large vacant area of the downtown.
down|trend /daʊ ntrend/ N‑SING A downtrend is a general downward movement in something such as a company's profits or the economy. □ The increase slowed to 0.4 percent, possibly indicating the start of a downtrend.
down|trod|den /daʊ ntrɒ d ə n/ ADJ People who are downtrodden are treated very badly by people with power, and do not have the ability or the energy to do anything about it. □ The owner is making huge profits at the expense of downtrodden peasants.
down|turn /daʊ ntɜː r n/ (downturns ) N‑COUNT If there is a downturn in the economy or in a company or industry, it becomes worse or less successful than it had been. □ They predicted a severe economic downturn. [Also + in ]
do wn u n|der PHRASE People sometimes refer to Australia and New Zealand as down under . [mainly BRIT , INFORMAL ] □ For summer skiing down under, there is no better place than New Zealand.
down|ward /daʊ nwə r d/
1 ADJ [ADJ n] A downward movement or look is directed towards a lower place or a lower level. □ …a firm downward movement of the hands.
2 → see also downwards
3 ADJ [ADJ n] If you refer to a downward trend, you mean that something is decreasing or that a situation is getting worse. □ The downward trend in home ownership is likely to continue.
down|wards /daʊ nwə r dz/ also downward
1 ADV [ADV after v] If you move or look downwards , you move or look towards the ground or a lower level. □ Benedict pointed downwards again with his stick.
2 ADV [ADV after v] If an amount or rate moves downwards , it decreases. □ Inflation is moving firmly downwards.
3 ADV [from n ADV ] If you want to emphasize that a statement applies to everyone in an organization, you can say that it applies from its leader downwards . [EMPHASIS ] □ …from the Prime Minister downwards.
down|wind /daʊ nw I nd/ ADV [ADV after v, be ADV ] If something moves downwind , it moves in the same direction as the wind. If something is downwind , the wind is blowing towards it. □ He attempted to return downwind to the airfield. [Also + of ]
downy /daʊ ni/ (downier , downiest )
1 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Something that is downy is filled or covered with small soft feathers. □ …the warm downy quilt.