downed
downed — verb
- downedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- downeds3rd person singular
- downeding-ing form
- downededpast simple
1. To force a person, animal, or object to the ground, typically by striking, shoot
To force a person, animal, or object to the ground, typically by striking, shooting, or pushing them.
The storm downed several large trees along River Road.
collocation: storm downed [trees / power lines]
A police officer downed the fleeing suspect with a single tackle.
Strong winds downed the neighbour's wooden fence during the night.
Diya downed the drone with a well-aimed rock.
passive possible: be downed by [force / weapon]
Mira downed the old garden shed using a sledgehammer.
- down trees
- down a plane
- down an opponent
- downed by a storm
- knock down
more focused on the act of hitting, less common for storms or gunfire
- bring down
slightly more formal; often used for aircraft or large animals
- fell
specifically used for cutting down trees; more formal
Grammar Patterns
down + noun phrase
Usage Note
Frequently used with natural forces (storms, winds) as the subject, or with objects like trees, fences, aircraft, or opponents.
Common Mistakes
2. To swallow food or liquid rapidly, often in a single go, particularly when short
To swallow food or liquid rapidly, often in a single go, particularly when short on time.
Naoko downed her coffee and rushed out the door.
The children downed their juice in just a few seconds.
informal register; typically used for swift eating or drinking
After the long run, Tamás downed a whole bottle of water.
Sofia downed three slices of pizza before the film started.
The tired hikers downed their sandwiches and kept walking.
- down a drink
- down a beer
- down food
Grammar Patterns
down + noun phrase (food/drink)
Usage Note
Informal register. Common in everyday speech and casual writing. The object is usually a drink or a portion of food, not an ingredient or a meal type like 'soup' or 'dinner'.
Common Mistakes
3. To defeat an opposing player or team in a competitive sport.
To defeat an opposing player or team in a competitive sport.
The Eagles downed their rivals by three goals to one.
sports context: downed [team name]
Amani downed the defending champion in the final match.
The underdogs downed the top-ranked team in a stunning upset.
Lisa downed her opponent in straight sets at the tennis tournament.
Bilal downed the league leaders with a late winning goal.
- down an opponent
- down a team
- down the defending champions
- lose to
to be defeated by an opponent
Grammar Patterns
down + noun phrase (opponent/team)
Usage Note
Informal register, common in sports journalism and casual conversation. The subject can be a player, a team, or a side.
Common Mistakes
downed — noun
1. the soft, fine feathers that come from birds such as ducks and geese, used as a
the soft, fine feathers that come from birds such as ducks and geese, used as a lightweight warm filling for pillows, jackets, and bedding.
Hugo bought a jacket filled with down for his winter trip to the mountains.
down-filled jacket — collocation
The baby's pillow felt very light because the inside was pure down.
pure down — collocation
Gita used a down comforter on her bed during the cold winter months.
down comforter — collocation
Down feathers keep you warmer than synthetic materials in freezing weather.
The old sofa cushions still had original down inside them after twenty years.
- down jacket
- down pillow
- down comforter
- pure down
- filled with down
Grammar Patterns
down + noun (down jacket / down pillow)
Usage Note
Uncountable; often used as a modifier in compounds: down jacket, down pillow, down comforter.
Common Mistakes
2. very short, soft, fine hair that grows on some plants, fruits, or on parts of th
very short, soft, fine hair that grows on some plants, fruits, or on parts of the human body.
The peach was covered in a thin layer of down that rubbed off easily.
down on fruit — collocation
Kwame noticed the soft down on his arms as he rolled up his sleeves.
down on [body part]
Newborn babies sometimes have a light down on their shoulders and back.
The young leaves of the plant had a fine grey down covering their surface.
- peach down
- soft down
- fine down
- covered in down
- fuzz
informal; can refer to short soft hair or fibres
- vellus hair
technical term for the fine short hair on the human body
Grammar Patterns
down on [body part / plant]
Usage Note
Uncountable; often occurs with 'on' to specify location (down on the arms, down on a leaf). Distinct from sense 1, which refers to bird feathers rather than body hair.
Common Mistakes
3. a feeling of dislike or unfair negative opinion about someone, often held withou
a feeling of dislike or unfair negative opinion about someone, often held without a clear reason.
The manager seems to have a down on anyone who arrives late to meetings.
have a down on [someone] — fixed phrase
Paloma could not explain why she had such a down on her new neighbour.
The teacher's down on the football team was obvious to everyone in the class.
People often have a down on somebody just because that person dresses differently.
have a down on somebody — British idiom
- have a down on
- a down on someone
- grudge
a long-held feeling of anger or dislike; stronger and more lasting
- resentment
more formal; implies feeling angry about unfair treatment
- liking
general positive feeling toward someone
Grammar Patterns
have a down on [someone]
Usage Note
Almost always used in the fixed phrase 'have a down on [someone]'. Rarely used outside this construction. Chiefly British English.
4. a county in south-eastern Northern Ireland that lies beside the Irish Sea coast.
a county in south-eastern Northern Ireland that lies beside the Irish Sea coast.
The Mourne Mountains in County Down are a popular hiking destination.
County Down — place name
Olivia spent her summer holiday visiting the coastal towns of County Down.
The ferry from Scotland arrives at the port of Strangford in County Down.
Many tourists visit County Down each year to see the historic castles along the coastline.
- County Down
Usage Note
Always capitalised as a proper noun, usually preceded by 'County'. Not to be confused with 'down' (soft feathers) or 'the Downs' (open highlands).
5. (in American football) each of up to four chances, taken one play at a time, tha
(in American football) each of up to four chances, taken one play at a time, that a team gets to push the ball forward at least ten yards from the starting line.
The quarterback threw a long pass on first down, but it was incomplete.
first / second / third / fourth down — series of downs
With one down left, the team ran the ball quickly to gain enough yards.
The crowd cheered when the running back gained eight yards on third down.
third down — collocation
The referee signalled a new set of downs after the team reached the ten-yard mark.
set of downs — collocation
- first down
- second down
- third down
- fourth down
- set of downs
Grammar Patterns
first / second / third / fourth down
down and distance
Usage Note
Countable noun; the game starts with 'first down', and each play uses one down. After four unsuccessful downs the team loses possession. Often used in phrases like 'it's third down and long'.
6. a wide area of high land without trees, covered in grass, especially in the sout
a wide area of high land without trees, covered in grass, especially in the south of England.
The hikers walked across the rolling downs, enjoying the wide open views of the countryside.
the downs — usually plural
Sheep have been grazing on the South Downs for hundreds of years.
the South Downs — place name
From the top of the down you could see the sea in the distance.
The North Downs offer gentle walking paths through open grassland and small woods.
the North Downs — place name
- the downs
- the South Downs
- rolling downs
- open down
Grammar Patterns
the downs
the South Downs
Usage Note
Usually used in the plural form 'the downs', often capitalised in place names like 'the South Downs' or 'the North Downs'. The singular form 'a down' is rare but occasionally used for one specific hill.
downed — adjective
- downedpositive
- downedercomparative
- downedestsuperlative
1. feeling sad, without the energy or wish to do things
feeling sad, without the energy or wish to do things
Lien has been feeling down ever since she failed her driving test.
predicative: be + feeling down
The rainy weather made everyone in the office look down.
Caio was really down after hearing that his grandmother was in hospital.
A short walk in the park helped Ziad feel less down about the bad news.
less down (comparative form with adverb modifier)
Noa looked down for weeks after losing her job at the bookstore.
- feel down
- look down
- get down
- down about something
Grammar Patterns
be + down
Usage Note
Predicative only — you can say 'He feels down' but not 'a down person' in this sense. Frequently used with 'feel', 'look', or 'be'.
Common Mistakes
2. not operating or available for use, especially about computers, websites, or pow
not operating or available for use, especially about computers, websites, or power systems
The school's website has been down since the server crashed on Monday.
perfect tense: has been down
All the cash machines were down because of a power cut in the area.
Aarav could not finish his homework because the online library system was down.
The hospital's phone lines went down for nearly two hours last night.
go + down (change of state)
When the payment system is down, customers have to pay with cash instead.
- system is down
- server is down
- website is down
- network is down
- offline
more specific to internet-connected systems
- out of order
used for physical machines like vending machines or toilets
- not working
general and neutral; less technical
- up
direct opposite; 'the system is up again'
- operational
formal; used in official contexts
Grammar Patterns
be + down
go + down
Usage Note
Predicative only. Commonly used for technology ('the computer is down'), but also for any service or system ('the elevator is down').
Common Mistakes
3. located in a low place or moving toward a lower position
located in a low place or moving toward a lower position
Liam sat on a down slope where the grass was still wet from the rain.
attributive: down + noun
The branches hung down low, almost touching the surface of the river.
Rohan pointed to the down escalator and said the shop was on the lower floor.
Press the down arrow to scroll to the rest of the page.
attributive: down arrow
A strong down current near the beach pulled the swimmers toward deeper water.
- down escalator
- down slope
- down arrow
- down current
- lower
more common and neutral for position comparison
- descending
more formal; describes motion rather than state
Grammar Patterns
down + noun
be + down
4. having a lower price, value, or amount compared with an earlier time
having a lower price, value, or amount compared with an earlier time
Petrol prices are down again this month, which is good news for drivers.
be + down for prices
The company's profits were down by twelve percent compared to last year.
down + by + amount
Rent in this area is finally down after years of steady increases.
Ayana checked the stock market and saw that her shares were down again.
The cost of imported fruit is down from last winter because of better weather.
down + from + previous level
- prices are down
- down by
- down from
- sales are down
- profits are down
Grammar Patterns
be + down
down + from/by + amount
Usage Note
Predicative only. Commonly followed by 'by' (amount) or 'from' (previous level). Used for prices, profits, rates, and percentages.
Common Mistakes
5. trailing an opponent by a certain number of points in a game or competition
trailing an opponent by a certain number of points in a game or competition
The home team was down by six points with only two minutes left to play.
down + by + score difference
Anthony's chess club was down three games to one in the tournament.
Even though they were down early in the match, the players never gave up.
down early (temporal modifier)
Sofie's basketball team is down ten points with a whole quarter left.
The visitors went down by a single goal and lost the championship final.
went + down (change of state)
- down by
- down early
- go down
- down points/goals/runs
Grammar Patterns
be + down
down + by + number
Usage Note
Predicative only. The number of points can follow directly ('down three points') or with 'by' ('down by three'). Also used in American football for a ball that is not in play.
Common Mistakes
6. fully learned or practised so that you can do it without mistakes or hesitation
fully learned or practised so that you can do it without mistakes or hesitation
After three months of daily practice, Liang finally has the piano piece down.
have + something + down
Emre practised the dance steps until he had every move down perfectly.
The new receptionist needs another week to get all the phone procedures down.
get + something + down
Lien had the grammar rules down after studying them for only two evenings.
The comedian got his entire routine down before the first live show of the tour.
- have something down
- get something down
- got it down
- down perfectly
- unfamiliar with
not yet learned or practised
- rusty
informal; once known but now out of practice
Grammar Patterns
have + noun + down
get + noun + down
Usage Note
Always in the structure 'have/get + object + down'. The object is usually a skill, piece of knowledge, or performance. Not used in simple 'be + down' construction for this sense.
Common Mistakes
downed — adverb
1. moving from a higher place towards a lower one — for example, when you go, fall,
moving from a higher place towards a lower one — for example, when you go, fall, or look from above to below.
The cat climbed up the tree but was too scared to climb back down.
phrasal verb: climb up / climb down
Yan bent down to pick up the keys that had fallen on the floor.
phrasal verb: bend down
Leo looked down from the bridge and watched the river flow far below.
collocation: look down (from a high place)
The old chair fell down when Lakan stood on it to reach the ceiling.
A heavy snow came down through the night and covered the streets by morning.
- go down
- come down
- climb down
- fall down
- look down
- bend down
- downward
more formal; used especially for direction of movement rather than the act itself
- up
the opposite spatial direction
Grammar Patterns
verb + down (movement)
Usage Note
This is the most basic spatial sense of 'down'. It combines freely with everyday movement verbs like 'go', 'come', 'fall', 'climb', and 'look'.
Common Mistakes
2. moving from above onto the ground, a floor, or another flat surface — often used
moving from above onto the ground, a floor, or another flat surface — often used with verbs like 'sit', 'lie', 'put', or 'lay'.
Talia sat down on the grass and opened her lunch box.
phrasal verb: sit down
Imani put the bag down on the table near the window.
phrasal verb: put down
The rain came down hard and everyone ran inside for cover.
Jude laid the blanket down on the sand before sitting on it.
phrasal verb: lay down
A pile of leaves blew down from the roof onto the garden path.
- sit down
- lie down
- put down
- lay down
- come down
- blow down
- onto
a preposition, not an adverb; emphasizes the surface as the destination
- up
the opposite direction, away from a surface
Grammar Patterns
verb + down (onto surface)
Usage Note
Frequently used with reflexive body-position verbs (sit, lie, kneel) and with verbs of depositing objects (put, lay, place).
Common Mistakes
3. pressed, stuck, or fastened so that something stays where it is and does not mov
pressed, stuck, or fastened so that something stays where it is and does not move, come off, or get loose.
Caio pressed the sticker down firmly onto the envelope.
collocation: press down firmly
Emily held the saucepan lid down while the potatoes boiled.
The strong wind kept the tent down with ropes tied to metal pegs.
Rodrigo nailed a board down over the broken window frame.
collocation: nail down
The sticky tape would not stay down on the wet cardboard box.
- press down
- hold down
- keep down
- nail down
- stay down
- stick down
Grammar Patterns
verb + down (secure in position)
Common Mistakes
4. to a smaller amount, lower degree, or simpler state — for example, prices going
to a smaller amount, lower degree, or simpler state — for example, prices going down, someone calming down, or turning down the volume.
The price of rice has come down a lot this month.
phrasal verb: come down (price/amount)
Arjun turned the music down so the baby could sleep.
phrasal verb: turn down (reduce volume)
The teacher asked the students to calm down and listen carefully.
Winter temperatures went down to freezing during the night.
The company cut down its spending after sales dropped sharply.
phrasal verb: cut down (reduce amount)
- come down
- go down
- turn down
- calm down
- cut down
- slow down
- narrow down
- break down
- less
a determiner/adverb, not a particle; 'less' focuses on the quantity itself
- up
to a higher level or amount
Grammar Patterns
verb + down (reduction)
Usage Note
Common in metaphorical extensions: 'calm down' (emotions), 'slow down' (speed), 'break down' (complexity), 'narrow down' (options).
Common Mistakes
5. used after verbs of force (for example, 'knock', 'cut', or 'blow') to mean that
used after verbs of force (for example, 'knock', 'cut', or 'blow') to mean that someone or something is made to drop from an upright position onto a lower surface, frequently becoming damaged or ruined.
The firefighter knocked the wooden door down with a heavy axe.
phrasal verb: knock down
Yara cut the old tree down because its roots were cracking the path.
phrasal verb: cut down (tree)
During the storm, strong winds blew several power lines down.
phrasal verb: blow down
The soldiers tore the wall down using ropes and iron tools.
phrasal verb: tear down
Rodrigo pushed the shelves down, and all the boxes crashed to the floor.
- knock down
- cut down
- blow down
- tear down
- push down
- burn down
- to the ground
a prepositional phrase that explains the result more literally
- up
as in 'put up' or 'build up', the opposite of taking down
Grammar Patterns
verb (knock/cut/blow/tear) + something + down
Usage Note
This sense only appears in phrasal-verb structures where 'down' follows a verb of force or destruction. The thing affected is usually a physical object (tree, wall, door) and ends up on the ground.
Common Mistakes
6. in written form, especially to keep a record of information such as a name, numb
in written form, especially to keep a record of information such as a name, number, or idea so that it is not forgotten.
Please write your name down on this form before you leave.
phrasal verb: write down
Chiara wrote down every word the professor said during the lecture.
I copied down the phone number before the line went dead.
phrasal verb: copy down
The lawyer asked her client to put the agreement down in writing.
collocation: put down in writing
Jot down any ideas that come to mind during the meeting.
- write down
- copy down
- jot down
- put down in writing
- note down
- in writing
a prepositional phrase that replaces the particle; emphasizes the medium
Grammar Patterns
verb (write/copy/jot/put) + something + down
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 1 (TO A LOWER POSITION): in this sense, 'down' does not indicate physical lowering at all — it marks the recording of information. Use this sense when the focus is on writing or noting something permanently.
Common Mistakes
❌ 'I wrote down the numbers but I lost the paper.' ('write down' is correct; this sentence is fine.)
7. marks a place as lying at a noticeable distance from your current position or fr
marks a place as lying at a noticeable distance from your current position or from a central point in a region; is commonly used with prepositions like 'to', 'in', or 'at'.
Owen went down to the village to buy groceries for the week.
down + to + [place] for a distant location
The old farmhouse sits down near the river, about five miles from town.
down + near + [landmark] for distance from centre
Wei drove down to the market early on Saturday morning.
Diya lives down in the valley where the air is much warmer.
down + in + [geographical area]
Jabari walked three miles down to fetch drinking water from the well.
- down to the coast
- down in the valley
- down at the harbour
- down by the river
- up
indicates movement toward a central, northern, or higher location
Grammar Patterns
down + at/in/to + [place]
down + preposition + [noun phrase]
Usage Note
Often paired with a second preposition (to, in, at, near) to specify the direction or location. The central reference point is usually the speaker's current position or the main city in a region.
Common Mistakes
8. towards the south, or to a place that is located in a southern part of a country
towards the south, or to a place that is located in a southern part of a country or region.
Every winter the birds fly down to warmer countries in the south.
down + to + [southern place] for southward movement
Eleni moved down to Florida after retiring from her job in Chicago.
The train travels down from Taipei to Kaohsiung twice a day.
down + from + [northern place] + to + [southern place]
Sirin looked at the map and saw that the coast lay further down.
- down south
- down to the coast
- fly down
- move down
- southwards
more formal and restricted to literal compass-direction movement
- up
indicates northward movement in the same geographical frame
Grammar Patterns
down + to + [southern place]
down + in + [southern region]
Usage Note
Common in geographical contexts where a country's map is conventionally oriented with north at the top. 'Down south' is a fixed phrase in this sense.
9. moving through time from earlier generations to later ones, so that objects, sto
moving through time from earlier generations to later ones, so that objects, stories, customs, or knowledge are still present many years after they first appeared.
This watch was handed down from Adina's great-grandfather in 1920.
hand + down + from [older person] — transmission across generations
The recipe for the cake has been passed down through four generations.
Many folk songs from that era have come down to us today.
come + down + to [present] — survival from the past
Stories about the village are passed down from parents to their children.
- handed down
- passed down
- come down
- passed down through generations
- bequeathed
more formal and legal, used in wills and official documents
Grammar Patterns
hand/pass + down + to + [person]
pass + down + through + [generations]
come + down + to + [present time]
Usage Note
Frequently used with the verbs 'hand', 'pass', and 'come'. The object being transmitted is typically something of cultural, sentimental, or practical value — a tradition, a skill, an heirloom, or a story.
Common Mistakes
10. into your stomach, especially when referring to eating, drinking, or successfull
into your stomach, especially when referring to eating, drinking, or successfully keeping food or medicine in the body without vomiting.
Hamza was so nervous he could not keep his breakfast down.
keep + [food] + down — hold food in stomach without vomiting
After the long hike, Joaquín managed to get a whole sandwich down.
The medicine went down easily when mixed with orange juice.
go + down — be swallowed or drunk
Beatrix felt the cold water go down and settle in her stomach.
- keep [food] down
- get [food] down
- go down
- wash down
- up
as in 'bring up' or 'throw up', meaning to vomit
Grammar Patterns
get + [food/drink] + down
keep + [food] + down
go + down
Usage Note
The verb 'keep down' in this sense is the negation of vomiting. 'Get down' focuses on the effort of swallowing. 'Go down' simply describes the act of being swallowed.
Common Mistakes
11. at the moment of purchasing something, referring to the part of the total price
at the moment of purchasing something, referring to the part of the total price that you pay immediately, with the rest to be paid later in instalments.
Owen put two hundred dollars down on the new leather sofa.
put + [amount] + down + on + [item] — initial instalment
Stephanie paid ten percent down and agreed to pay the rest later.
pay + [percentage] + down
The car cost twelve thousand dollars with three thousand paid down.
Heloísa placed a deposit down to reserve the wedding venue.
place + deposit + down
- put [money] down
- paid down
- [amount] down
- deposit down
- money down
Grammar Patterns
pay/put + [amount] + down + on + [item]
[amount] + down
put + [amount] + down
Usage Note
The amount typically appears between the verb and 'down' (e.g. 'put $500 down'). In informal speech, the amount can follow 'down' in a reduced structure: '$500 down'.
Common Mistakes
12. into a condition or state where something is less active, less noticeable, not o
into a condition or state where something is less active, less noticeable, not operating, or no longer a cause of excitement or concern.
The factory was shut down after the safety inspection failed.
shut + down — cease operation permanently or temporarily
The children finally quieted down when the storyteller began.
Wei calmed down after taking a few deep and slow breaths.
calm + down — become less upset or excited
The computer system went down during the storm and took two hours to restart.
- calm down
- quiet down
- shut down
- go down
- cool down
- settle down
- up
as in 'heat up', 'stir up', 'wake up' — opposite direction of increased activity
Grammar Patterns
[verb] + down
calm/quiet/settle + down
shut/go + down
Usage Note
Pairs with a wide range of verbs to express reduction in activity: 'quiet down' (become less noisy), 'calm down' (become less emotional), 'shut down' (stop operating), 'go down' (stop functioning). Each verb has a specific subject — people can calm/quiet down, machines and systems can go/shut down.
Common Mistakes
downed — geographical name
1. An administrative area in the southeastern corner of Northern Ireland that lies
An administrative area in the southeastern corner of Northern Ireland that lies along the coast of the Irish Sea, covering about 250 square miles (650 square kilometres). This local government district was created in 1974.
The district of Down lies between Belfast and the border with the Republic of Ireland.
Many visitors to Down enjoy walking along the shores of Strangford Lough.
geographical name: Down / Down district
The population of Down district was recorded as nearly seventy thousand people.
Farming and tourism are both important industries across Down district.
- Down district
- the district of Down
- Down council area
Usage Note
This administrative district should not be confused with the larger traditional County Down, which covers a wider area and includes cities such as Belfast.
2. A historic county in the southeast of Northern Ireland, one of the six counties
A historic county in the southeast of Northern Ireland, one of the six counties that make up the region. County Down stretches from the shores of Belfast Lough in the north to Carlingford Lough in the south, and is known for the Mourne Mountains and its coastal scenery.
The Mourne Mountains in County Down are a popular destination for hikers and climbers.
County Down is sometimes called the 'land of song' because of its musical traditions.
County Down: historic county in NI
Parts of County Down were an important centre of the Irish linen industry in the 1800s.
The southern coast of County Down has beautiful sandy beaches facing the Irish Sea.
- County Down
- the county of Down
- in County Down
Usage Note
County Down is a traditional or historic county and does not have its own modern government. Local government services are provided by several district councils including Down District Council.
downed — preposition
1. Used to describe movement from a higher position to a lower one, or movement alo
Used to describe movement from a higher position to a lower one, or movement along the length of a path, road, river, hallway, or similar line.
Aarav carefully walked down the steep stairs holding the banister.
down + noun phrase indicating a path (stairs)
The bakery is just down the road from the library, on the left.
location sense: be down the road / street
Tomás threw the paper airplane down the hallway and watched it land.
movement along an enclosed space (hallway)
Tears rolled down Zuri's cheeks as she listened to the speech.
The children ran down the hill towards the waiting school bus.
movement from higher to lower across a surface (hill)
- down the stairs
- down the road
- down the street
- down the hill
- down the hallway
- down the river
- down the path
- up
the opposite direction — towards a higher position
Grammar Patterns
down + noun phrase (place / path / surface)
Usage Note
When 'down' means 'along' (e.g., 'walk down the street'), the path does not have to slope downward — the street may be completely flat. Only the 'down the hill' type examples involve actual height change. In British English, 'down' can also mean 'to' or 'at' a place: 'go down the pub', 'down the shops'.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- downverbB1
- downnounB1
- downadjectiveB1
- downadverbA1
- downprepositionB1
- downwardadjectiveB2
- downwardadverbB2
- downwardsadverbB2
- downernounC1
- downbeatadjectiveC1
- downplayverbC1
- downturnnounB2
- downrightadjectiveC1
- downrightadverbC1
- downsizeverbC1
- downpournounB2
- downloadverbA2
- downloadnounB1
- downstreamadverbB2
- downstreamadjectiveC1
- downcastadjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
"Down" (verb sense 1, CAUSE TO FALL) is the most general of these terms, covering any method — from a storm downing trees to a soldier downing an enemy aircraft. "Bring down" emphasises the result (the target ends up on the ground) and is common with aircraft, large animals, or metaphorical targets (bringing down a government). "Knock down" specifically implies a blow or collision — physically striking something so it falls — and is typical for doors, walls, or people in a fight. "Fell" is the most formal and specific to cutting trees with a saw or axe (e.g., 'They felled the old oak in one afternoon'); it is never used for people, aircraft, or abstract targets. "Shoot down" adds the method: a projectile (bullet, missile, arrow) brings the target out of the sky or off its feet. In everyday speech, "down" is the most versatile — you can down a drone with a rock, down a suspect with a tackle, or down an opponent in a debate — whereas "knock down" stays concrete, "bring down" can be literal or figurative, "fell" is restricted to trees, and "shoot down" requires a projectile weapon.
Common collocations
Etymology
The word "down" traces back to Old English 'dūne', a shortened form of the phrase 'of dūne' meaning 'off the hill' or 'from the hill'. The Old English noun 'dūn' itself meant 'hill' or 'mountain', borrowed from Celtic (compare Old Irish 'dún' — a fort or hill fort). The original geographical sense of a hill is preserved in the noun sense 'the Downs' (open, treeless uplands in southern England). The directional meaning — moving 'off the hill' toward a lower place — gradually generalised to cover all downward movement, while metaphorical extensions (lower amount, lower mood, defeat) developed in later centuries.
First known use
12th century
12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1) Preposition