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adverb Down adv. 1.In the direction of gravity or toward the center of the earth; toward or in a lower place or position; below; the opposite of up. 2.Hence, in many derived uses, as: (a)From a higher to a lower position, literally or figuratively; in a descending direction; from the top of an ascent; from an upright position; to the ground or floor; to or into a lower or an inferior condition; as, into a state of humility, disgrace, misery, and the like; into a state of rest; used with verbs indicating motion. "It will be rain to-night. Let it come down." "I sit me down beside the hazel grove." "And that drags down his life." "There is not a more melancholy object in the learned world than a man who has written himself down." "The French... shone down (i. e., outshone) the English." (b)In a low or the lowest position, literally or figuratively; at the bottom of a descent; below the horizon; on the ground; in a condition of humility, dejection, misery, and the like; in a state of quiet. "I was down and out of breath." "The moon is down; I have not heard the clock." "He that is down needs fear no fall." 3.From a remoter or higher antiquity. "Venerable men! you have come down to us from a former generation." 4.From a greater to a less bulk, or from a thinner to a thicker consistence; as, to boil down in cookery, or in making decoctions. Note: Down is sometimes used elliptically, standing for go down, come down, tear down, take down, put down, haul down, pay down, and the like, especially in command or exclamation. "Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the duke." "If he be hungry more than wanton, bread alone will down." Down is also used intensively; as, to be loaded down; to fall down; to hang down; to drop down; to pay down. "The temple of Herè at Argos was burnt down." Down, as well as up, is sometimes used in a conventional sense; as, down East. "Persons in London say down to Scotland, etc., and those in the provinces, up to London." Down helm (Naut.), an order to the helmsman to put the helm to leeward. Down on or Down upon (joined with a verb indicating motion, as go, come, pounce), to attack, implying the idea of threatening power. "Come down upon us with a mighty power." Down with, take down, throw down, put down; used in energetic command, often by people aroused in crowds, referring to people, laws, buildings, etc.; as, down with the king! "Down with the palace; fire it." To be down on, to dislike and treat harshly. (Slang, U.S.) To cry down. See under Cry, v. t. To cut down. See under Cut, v. t. Up and down, with rising and falling motion; to and fro; hither and thither; everywhere. "Let them wander up and down."
Up adv. 1.Aloft; on high; in a direction contrary to that of gravity; toward or in a higher place or position; above; the opposite of down. "But up or down, By center or eccentric, hard to tell." 2.Hence, in many derived uses, specifically: (a)From a lower to a higher position, literally or figuratively; as, from a recumbent or sitting position; from the mouth, toward the source, of a river; from a dependent or inferior condition; from concealment; from younger age; from a quiet state, or the like; used with verbs of motion expressed or implied. "But they presumed to go up unto the hilltop." "I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up." "Up rose the sun, and up rose Emelye." "We have wrought ourselves up into this degree of Christian indifference." (b)In a higher place or position, literally or figuratively; in the state of having arisen; in an upright, or nearly upright, position; standing; mounted on a horse; in a condition of elevation, prominence, advance, proficiency, excitement, insurrection, or the like; used with verbs of rest, situation, condition, and the like; as, to be up on a hill; the lid of the box was up; prices are up. "And when the sun was up, they were scorched." "Those that were up themselves kept others low." "Helen was up was she?" "Rebels there are up, And put the Englishmen unto the sword." "His name was up through all the adjoining provinces, even to Italy and Rome; many desiring to see who he was that could withstand so many years the Roman puissance." "Thou hast fired me; my soul's up in arms." "Grief and passion are like floods raised in little brooks by a sudden rain; they are quickly up." "A general whisper ran among the country people, that Sir Roger was up." "Let us, then, be up and doing, With a heart for any fate." (c)To or in a position of equal advance or equality; not short of, back of, less advanced than, away from, or the like; usually followed by to or with; as, to be up to the chin in water; to come up with one's companions; to come up with the enemy; to live up to engagements. "As a boar was whetting his teeth, up comes a fox to him." (d)To or in a state of completion; completely; wholly; quite; as, in the phrases to eat up; to drink up; to burn up; to sum up; etc.; to shut up the eyes or the mouth; to sew up a rent. Note: Some phrases of this kind are now obsolete; as, to spend up (); to kill up (). (e)Aside, so as not to be in use; as, to lay up riches; put up your weapons. Note: Up is used elliptically for get up, rouse up, etc., expressing a command or exhortation. "Up, and let us be going." "Up, up, my friend! and quit your books, Or surely you 'll grow double." It is all up with him, it is all over with him; he is lost. The time is up, the allotted time is past. To be up in, to be informed about; to be versed in. "Anxious that their sons should be well up in the superstitions of two thousand years ago." To be up to. (a)To be equal to, or prepared for; as, he is up to the business, or the emergency. (Colloq.) (b)To be engaged in; to purpose, with the idea of doing ill or mischief; as, I don't know what he's up to. (Colloq.) To blow up. (a)To inflate; to distend. (b)To destroy by an explosion from beneath. (c)To explode; as, the boiler blew up. (d)To reprove angrily; to scold. (Slang) To bring up. See under Bring, v. t. To come up with. See under Come, v. i. To cut up. See under Cut, v. t. & i. To draw up. See under Draw, v. t. To grow up, to grow to maturity. Up anchor (Naut.), the order to man the windlass preparatory to hauling up the anchor. Up and down. (a)First up, and then down; from one state or position to another. See under Down, adv. "Fortune... led him up and down." (b)(Naut.) Vertical; perpendicular; said of the cable when the anchor is under, or nearly under, the hawse hole, and the cable is taut. Up helm (Naut.), the order given to move the tiller toward the upper, or windward, side of a vessel. Up to snuff. See under Snuff. (Slang) What is up? What is going on? (Slang)
Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48
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