English Vocabulary for learners
Expressions with 'DOWN'
from: 'down and out'
to: '(take) down a notch'
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Down and out | Have no money, no home and little hope of improving the situation | "There are many down-and-outs sleeping a short distance from the wealthiest area." |
| Down at heel | Someone whose appearance is untidy or neglected because of lack of money | "The down-at-heel student I first met became a successful writer." |
| Down for the count | Unable to continue; beaten (like, for example, a boxer) | "Tommy won the match. He left his opponent down for the count." |
| Down in the dumps | Depressed or feeling gloomy | "Alex has been down in the dumps since he failed his exam." |
| (Go) down in flames | Fail spectacularly and disastrously | "The project went down in flames because it was funded by illegally-obtained money." |
| Down in the mouth | Showing visible signs of unhappiness | "You look a bit down in the mouth. What's the matter?" |
| Down on one's luck | Experiencing misfortune, especially financial difficulties | "Mark has been down on his luck this last while." |
| Down payment | Part of the total amount agreed when signing a purchase | "Emma and Paul put a down payment on their first house yesterday." |
| Down the drain | Waste or lose money, time or energy | "His years of research went down the drain when the company went bankrupt." |
| Down the hatch! | Drink up! Swallow something, usually an alcoholic drink | "Jack raised his glass and said 'down the hatch!' to the group celebrating." |
| Down to earth | A realistic and practical person who has sensible reactions | "Don't ask Suzy for help. She's fun, but not very down to earth." |
| Down to the ground | Perfectly or entirely | "The arrangement suits me down to the ground." |
| Down to the wire | Until the last minute; to the very end | "There's nothing as exciting as watching a game that goes down to the wire." |
| (Take someone) down a notch | Damage someone's ego or make them more humble | "I'm glad he lost the match. That'll take him down a notch!" |