Causing Damage, Death, or Pressure (Down): English Vocabulary List

to be completely destroyed by fire, leaving nothing behind

"The barn burned down completely."

"The old barn burned down completely in the fire because the firefighters could not get there in time."

to cut something, usually a tree or large plant

"Chop down that dead tree."

"The lumberjack chopped down the huge oak tree with a series of powerful swings of his sharp axe."

to seriously injure or kill a person by shooting them, particularly someone who is defenseless

"The gunman gunned down innocent civilians."

"The security camera clearly showed the masked attacker gun down the unarmed security guard before fleeing the scene on a motorcycle."

to kill or cause harm to a large number of people, often through violent means

"The car mowed down the crowd."

"The speeding car mowed down several pedestrians who were crossing the street at the crosswalk."

to demolish a structure or building, typically by pulling it apart or taking it down piece by piece

"Pull down the fence."

"The city decided to pull down the unsafe structure because it posed a danger to pedestrians passing by."

to destroy something completely

"They tear down the old factory."

"The city plans to tear down the old abandoned factory next month and build a new park in its place."

to make someone feel sad or stressed by putting a lot of emotional or mental pressure on them

"Worries weigh him down."

"The constant pressure of deadlines and responsibilities began to weigh down her spirits considerably."

to hit someone or something with great strength or power

"The storm beat down."

"The relentless hail managed to beat down the fragile greenhouse, causing substantial damage to the glass panes."

(of a machine or vehicle) to stop working as a result of a malfunction

"The car will break down."

"My old car is likely to break down again due to its age and poor maintenance."

to cut through something at its base in order to make it fall

"Cut down on sugary drinks."

"The doctor advised him to cut down on his salt intake to lower his high blood pressure."

to destroy a structure such as building or wall

"They knocked down the wall."

"The demolition crew used heavy machinery to knock down the old abandoned factory."

to mercifully end the life of a sick or elderly animal to prevent further suffering

"We must put down."

"The veterinarian made the difficult decision to put down the beloved family pet due to its advanced age and chronic pain."

to injure or kill by knocking someone or something down and passing over their body, as with a vehicle

"The car run down."

"Tragically, the distracted driver failed to notice the pedestrian and accidentally run down the unsuspecting individual."

to fire upon an aircraft or another object with the intent of bringing it to the ground

"They will shoot down the plane."

"The anti-aircraft batteries were ordered to shoot down any enemy aircraft that entered their airspace."

to become damaged through regular use

"The stairs wear down."

"The constant friction of footsteps will eventually wear down the edges of the stone steps over many years."