Downwards

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Downward \Down"ward\, Downwards \Down"wards\, adv. [AS.
     ad?nweard. See {Down}, adv., and {-ward}.]
     1. From a higher place to a lower; in a descending course;
        as, to tend, move, roll, look, or take root, downward or
        downwards. "Looking downwards." --Pope.
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              Their heads they downward bent.       --Drayton.
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     2. From a higher to a lower condition; toward misery,
        humility, disgrace, or ruin.
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              And downward fell into a groveling swine. --Milton.
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     3. From a remote time; from an ancestor or predecessor; from
        one to another in a descending line.
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              A ring the county wears,
              That downward hath descended in his house,
              From son to son, some four or five descents. --Shak.
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From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  downwards
       adv : spatially or metaphorically from a higher to a lower level
             or position; "don't fall down"; "rode the lift up and
             skied down"; "prices plunged downward" [syn: {down}, {downward},
              {downwardly}] [ant: {up}, {up}, {up}, {up}]