Others (Down): English Vocabulary List

(of situations, problems, etc.) to have a particular factor or reason as the primary cause

"It boils down to one simple fact."

"The argument between the two friends boils down to a simple misunderstanding that could be resolved with an honest conversation."

to shift to a lower gear in a vehicle to decrease speed

"Change down to a lower gear."

"The driver changed down to a lower gear to climb the steep hill without straining the engine."

to reduce the temperature of something

"Cool down after your workout."

"After the intense workout she drank some water to cool down and lower her body temperature."

to mark the decreasing time or numerical progression leading to a specific event, deadline, or moment of significance

"Count down from ten to zero."

"The crowd began to count down from ten as the ball dropped in Times Square on New Year's Eve."

to investigate or analyze something in detail

"Drill down into the data."

"The analyst needed to drill down into the detailed sales data to find the root cause of the problem."

to simplify or reduce the intellectual content of something in order to make it more accessible or appealing to a wider audience

"Do not dumb down the content."

"The television network was accused of trying to dumb down its news coverage to appeal to a less educated audience."

to form an opinion, often based on general impressions or assumptions, which may or may not be correct

"I have him down as nice."

"Based on his previous work, I have him down as someone who always delivers excellent results."

to forcefully break or destroy a barrier, obstacle, or door by kicking it

"Kick down the door open."

"The police had to kick down the door to enter the apartment because the suspect refused to open it."

to move past a negative reputation, embarrassing situation, or mistake by demonstrating better behavior over time

"He cannot live down that embarrassment."

"The young actor will never live down the embarrassing performance he gave in that terrible movie."

to force someone or something carry something or many heavy things

"Load down the truck."

"The moving company refused to load down their truck with too many fragile items."

to make something seem less important or serious than it actually is

"He plays down his own achievements."

"The politician tried to play down the scandal by calling it a minor misunderstanding instead of admitting any real wrongdoing."

to lose weight

"He wants to slim down before summer."

"He started going to the gym and eating healthier food to slim down before his wedding next summer."

to do or say something in order to reach a state of peace or calmness

"Smooth down the hair."

"She used a comb to smooth down her hair after taking off her hat because it had become messy and tangled."

to search for and find someone or something after a persistent effort

"We tracked down the suspect."

"The detective managed to track down the fugitive after a five year search that took him to three different countries."

to start focusing on and engaging in a task or activity in a serious or determined manner

"Get down to business now."

"After the introductions were finished the committee finally got down to discussing the serious issues on the agenda."

to begin to work or study hard and focus seriously on a task or goal

"Knuckle down and study."

"With the final exams just around the corner, it's time for everyone to knuckle down and focus on their studies."

to start experiencing symptoms of an illness

"He comes down with a bad cold."

"She thinks she is coming down with the flu because she has a fever and a very sore throat."

to become affected by an illness

"She went down with flu."

"Half the class went down with a terrible cold before the winter holidays began."

to tell someone they have done something wrong and express disapproval

"The teacher called down the student."

"The teacher called down the student for talking during the exam and warned him that he would be sent to the principal's office."

to criticize or punish someone harshly

"The boss comes down on slackers."

"The teacher came down on the students severely for cheating on the exam and gave them all zero grades."

to express disapproval, criticism, or negative judgment about someone or something

"Don't get down on me."

"The critics really got down on the new movie, calling it unoriginal and boring."

to regard someone or something as inferior or unworthy of respect or consideration

"Do not look down on others."

"Some wealthy people tend to look down on those who have less money than they do which is very snobbish."

to speak to someone in a way that suggests they are inferior or less intelligent than the speaker

"Do not talk down to me."

"He tends to talk down to anyone he perceives as less knowledgeable than himself."

to rain very fast and hard

"The hailstones pelted down hard."

"The rain pelted down so hard that we could not hear each other speak without shouting over the noise on the roof."

to use a brush or one's hand to clean or tidy oneself, someone, or something

"Brush down your dusty coat."

"The rider brushed down her horse after the long ride to remove the dirt and sweat from its coat."

to clean the outside or surface of an item using a wet cloth

"Wipe down the kitchen counters."

"The janitor wiped down the tables in the cafeteria after lunch to remove any crumbs or sticky spills."

to become more determined or committed to a course of action or one's beliefs, especially when facing challenges or criticism

"He doubled down on his statement."

"The politician doubled down on his controversial statement instead of apologizing which made the situation even worse for his campaign."

to simplify a complex piece of information into a more summarized form for a clearer understanding

"Boil down the story."

"The essence of his long speech can be boiled down to a single, crucial message."

to become less angry, upset, or worried

"He calms down and takes a breath."

"The mother tried to calm down her crying baby by rocking him gently and singing a soft lullaby in his ear."

to establish a stable and committed lifestyle, often involving marriage or a serious, long-term relationship

"They will settle down."

"After years of traveling, they decided it was time to settle down and start a family."

(of a DJ or rapper) to perform a piece of music with energy and skill

"The rapper will throw down."

"The crowd went wild when the DJ started to throw down an incredible set."

to decline an invitation, request, or offer

"She turned down the job offer."

"Unfortunately I had to turn down the scholarship because I could not relocate abroad."

to work hard in order to achieve a goal

"Buckle down and study."

"If you want to pass this difficult exam, you must buckle down and dedicate yourself to studying."

(of an event, situation, etc.) to happen at a particular time

"It will go down."

"The historical event of the revolution will go down in the annals of history forever."

to cause someone's spirits to be lowered

"This weather will get you down."

"The persistent gloomy weather and lack of sunshine began to get him down, affecting his overall mood."

to make someone disappointed by not meeting their expectations

"Do not let down your team."

"I know you trusted me completely but I did not mean to let you down."

to rain very heavily and continuously

"It will pour down."

"The storm intensified rapidly, and soon the heavens opened up to pour down torrential rain."