The difference between Across and Down
When used as nouns, across means a word that runs horizontally in the completed puzzle grid or its associated clue, whereas down means a hill, especially a chalk hill.
When used as prepositions, across means to, toward or from the far side of (something that lies between two points of interest), whereas down means from the higher end to the lower of.
When used as adverbs, across means from one side to the other, whereas down means from a higher position to a lower one.
Down is also verb with the meaning: to drink or swallow, especially without stopping before the vessel containing the liquid is empty.
Down is also adjective with the meaning: sad, unhappy, depressed, feeling low.
check bellow for the other definitions of Across and Down
-
Across as a preposition:
To, toward or from the far side of (something that lies between two points of interest).
Examples:
"We rowed across the river."
"Fortunately, there was a bridge across the river."
"He came across the street to meet me."
-
Across as a preposition:
On the opposite side of (something that lies between two points of interest).
Examples:
"That store is across the street."
-
Across as a preposition (Southern US, AAVE):
across from: on the opposite side, relative to something that lies between, from (a point of interest).
-
Across as a preposition:
From one side to the other within (a space being traversed).
Examples:
"The meteor streaked across the sky."
"He walked across the room."
"Could you slide that across the table to me, please?"
-
Across as a preposition:
At or near the far end of (a space).
-
Across as a preposition:
Spanning.
Examples:
"This poetry speaks across the centuries."
-
Across as a preposition:
Throughout.
Examples:
"All across the country, voters were communicating their representatives."
-
Across as a preposition:
So as to intersect or pass through or over at an angle.
Examples:
"Lay the top stick across the bottom one."
"She had straps fastened across the conduit every six feet."
-
Across as a preposition:
In possession of full, up-to-date information about; abreast of.
Examples:
"As a newspaper reporter, you should be across all these issues."
-
Across as an adverb:
From one side to the other.
Examples:
"she helped the blind man across; the river is half a mile across'"
-
Across as an adverb:
On the other side.
Examples:
"If we sail off at noon, when will we be across?"
-
Across as an adverb:
In a particular direction.
Examples:
"He leaned across for a book."
-
Across as an adverb (crosswords):
Horizontally.
Examples:
"I got stuck on 4 across."
-
Across as a noun (crosswords, often in combination):
A word that runs horizontally in the completed puzzle grid or its associated clue.
Examples:
"I solved all of the acrosses, but then got stuck on 3 down."
"1 Bygone hangout for 64-Acrosses"
-
Down as a noun (especially southern England):
A hill, especially a chalk hill; rolling grassland
Examples:
"We went for a walk over the downs."
"The North Downs are a ridge of chalk hills in south east England."
-
Down as a noun (usually plural):
A field, especially one used for horse racing.
-
Down as a noun (UK, mostly, in the plural):
A tract of poor, sandy, undulating or hilly land near the sea, covered with fine turf which serves chiefly for the grazing of sheep.
-
Down as a noun (American football):
Any of the four chances for a team to successfully move the ball for the yards needed to keep possession of the ball.
Examples:
"first down, second down, etc."
-
Down as an adverb (comparable):
From a higher position to a lower one; downwards.
Examples:
"The cat jumped down from the table."
-
Down as an adverb (comparable):
At a lower and/or further along or away place or position along a set path.
Examples:
"His place is farther down the road."
"The company was well down the path to bankruptcy."
-
Down as an adverb:
South (as south is at the bottom of typical maps).
Examples:
"I went down to Miami for a conference."
-
Down as an adverb (Ireland):
Away from the city (even if the location is to the North).
Examples:
"He went down to Cavan."
"'down on the farm"
"'down country"
-
Down as an adverb (sport):
Towards the opponent's side (in ball-sports).
-
Down as an adverb:
Into a state of non-operation.
Examples:
"The computer has been shut down."
"They closed the shop down."
-
Down as an adverb:
To a subordinate or less prestigious position or rank.
Examples:
"Smith was sent down to the minors to work on his batting."
"After the incident, Kelly went down to Second Lieutenant."
-
Down as an adverb (rail transport):
In the direction leading away from the principal terminus, away from milepost zero.
-
Down as an adverb (sentence substitute, imperative):
Get down.
Examples:
"'Down, boy! qualifier such as to direct a dog to stand on four legs from two, or to sit from standing on four legs."
-
Down as an adverb (UK, academia):
Away from Oxford or Cambridge.
Examples:
"He's gone back down to Newcastle for Christmas."
-
Down as an adverb:
From a remoter or higher antiquity.
-
Down as an adverb:
From a greater to a less bulk, or from a thinner to a thicker consistence.
-
Down as an adverb:
From less to greater detail.
-
Down as an adverb (intensifier):
Examples:
"They tamped (down) the asphalt to get a better bond."
-
Down as an adverb:
Examples:
"He boiled the mixture./He boiled down the mixture."
"He sat waiting./He sat down and waited."
-
Down as a preposition:
From the higher end to the lower of.
Examples:
"The ball rolled down the hill."
-
Down as a preposition:
From one end to another of.
Examples:
"The bus went down the street."
"They walked down the beach holding hands."
-
Down as an adjective (informal):
sad, unhappy, Depressed, feeling low.
-
Down as an adjective:
Sick or ill.
Examples:
"He is down with the flu''."
-
Down as an adjective:
At a lower level than before.
Examples:
"The stock market is down."
"Prices are down."
-
Down as an adjective:
Having a lower score than an opponent.
Examples:
"They are down by 3-0 with just 5 minutes to play."
"He was down by a bishop and a pawn after 15 moves."
"At 5-1 down, she produced a great comeback to win the set on a tiebreak."
-
Down as an adjective (baseball, colloquial, following the noun modified):
Out.
Examples:
"Two down and one to go in the bottom of the ninth."
-
Down as an adjective (colloquial):
With "on", negative about, hostile to
Examples:
"Ever since Nixon, I've been down on Republicans."
-
Down as an adjective (not comparable, North America, slang):
Comfortable with, accepting of.
Examples:
"He's chill enough; he'd probably be totally down with it."
"Are you down to hang out at the mall, Jamal?"
"As long as you're down with helping me pick a phone, Tyrone."
-
Down as an adjective (not comparable):
Inoperable; out of order; out of service.
Examples:
"The system is down."
-
Down as an adjective:
Finished (of a task); defeated or dealt with (of an opponent or obstacle); elapsed (of time). Often coupled with to go (remaining).
Examples:
"Two down and three to go.'' (Two tasks completed and three more still to be done.)"
"Ten minutes down and nothing's happened yet."
-
Down as an adjective (not comparable, military, police, slang, of a person):
Wounded and unable to move normally; killed.
Examples:
"We have an officer down outside the suspect's house."
"There are three soldiers down and one walking wounded."
-
Down as an adjective (not comparable, military, aviation, slang, of an aircraft):
Mechanically failed, collided, shot down, or otherwise suddenly unable to fly.
Examples:
"We have a chopper down near the river''."
-
Down as an adjective:
Thoroughly practiced, learned or memorised; mastered.
Examples:
"It's two weeks until opening night and our lines are still not down yet."
-
Down as an adjective (obsolete):
Downright; absolute; positive.
-
Down as a verb (transitive):
To drink or swallow, especially without stopping before the vessel containing the liquid is empty.
Examples:
"He downed an ale and ordered another."
-
Down as a verb (transitive):
To cause to come down; to knock down or subdue.
Examples:
"The storm downed several old trees along the highway."
-
Down as a verb (transitive, pocket billiards):
To put a ball in a pocket; to pot a ball.
Examples:
"He downed two balls on the break."
-
Down as a verb (transitive, American football):
To bring a play to an end by touching the ball to the ground or while it is on the ground.
Examples:
"He downed it at the seven-yard line."
-
Down as a verb (transitive):
To write off; to make fun of.
-
Down as a verb (obsolete, intransitive):
To go down; to descend.
-
Down as a noun:
A negative aspect; a downer.
Examples:
"I love almost everything about my job. The only down is that I can't take Saturdays off."
-
Down as a noun (dated):
A grudge ( someone).
-
Down as a noun:
An act of swallowing an entire drink at once.
-
Down as a noun (American football):
A single play, from the time the ball is snapped (the start) to the time the whistle is blown (the end) when the ball is down, or is downed.
Examples:
"I bet after the third down, the kicker will replace the quarterback on the field."
-
Down as a noun (crosswords):
A clue whose solution runs vertically in the grid.
Examples:
"I haven't solved 12 or 13 across, but I've got most of the downs."
-
Down as a noun:
A downstairs room of a two-story house.
Examples:
"She lives in a two-up two-down."
-
Down as a noun:
Down payment.
-
Down as a noun:
Soft, fluffy immature feathers which grow on young birds. Used as insulating material in duvets, sleeping bags and jackets.
-
Down as a noun (botany):
The pubescence of plants; the hairy crown or envelope of the seeds of certain plants, such as the thistle.
-
Down as a noun:
The soft hair of the face when beginning to appear.
-
Down as a noun:
That which is made of down, as a bed or pillow; that which affords ease and repose, like a bed of down.
-
Down as a verb (transitive):
To cover, ornament, line, or stuff with down.