The difference between Down and Up

When used as nouns, down means a hill, especially a chalk hill, whereas up means the direction opposed to the pull of gravity.

When used as prepositions, down means from the higher end to the lower of, whereas up means toward the top of.

When used as adverbs, down means from a higher position to a lower one, whereas up means away from the surface of the earth or other planet.

When used as verbs, down means to drink or swallow, especially without stopping before the vessel containing the liquid is empty, whereas up means to increase or raise.

When used as adjectives, down means sad, unhappy, depressed, feeling low, whereas up means awake.


check bellow for the other definitions of Down and Up

  1. 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."

  2. Down as a noun (usually plural):

    A field, especially one used for horse racing.

  3. 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.

  4. 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."

  1. Down as an adverb (comparable):

    From a higher position to a lower one; downwards.

    Examples:

    "The cat jumped down from the table."

  2. 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."

  3. Down as an adverb:

    South (as south is at the bottom of typical maps).

    Examples:

    "I went down to Miami for a conference."

  4. 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"

  5. Down as an adverb (sport):

    Towards the opponent's side (in ball-sports).

  6. Down as an adverb:

    Into a state of non-operation.

    Examples:

    "The computer has been shut down."

    "They closed the shop down."

  7. 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."

  8. Down as an adverb (rail transport):

    In the direction leading away from the principal terminus, away from milepost zero.

  9. 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."

  10. Down as an adverb (UK, academia):

    Away from Oxford or Cambridge.

    Examples:

    "He's gone back down to Newcastle for Christmas."

  11. Down as an adverb:

    From a remoter or higher antiquity.

  12. Down as an adverb:

    From a greater to a less bulk, or from a thinner to a thicker consistence.

  13. Down as an adverb:

    From less to greater detail.

  14. Down as an adverb (intensifier):

    Examples:

    "They tamped (down) the asphalt to get a better bond."

  15. Down as an adverb:

    Examples:

    "He boiled the mixture./He boiled down the mixture."

    "He sat waiting./He sat down and waited."

  1. Down as a preposition:

    From the higher end to the lower of.

    Examples:

    "The ball rolled down the hill."

  2. Down as a preposition:

    From one end to another of.

    Examples:

    "The bus went down the street."

    "They walked down the beach holding hands."

  1. Down as an adjective (informal):

    sad, unhappy, Depressed, feeling low.

  2. Down as an adjective:

    Sick or ill.

    Examples:

    "He is down with the flu''."

  3. Down as an adjective:

    At a lower level than before.

    Examples:

    "The stock market is down."

    "Prices are down."

  4. 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."

  5. Down as an adjective (baseball, colloquial, following the noun modified):

    Out.

    Examples:

    "Two down and one to go in the bottom of the ninth."

  6. Down as an adjective (colloquial):

    With "on", negative about, hostile to

    Examples:

    "Ever since Nixon, I've been down on Republicans."

  7. 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."

  8. Down as an adjective (not comparable):

    Inoperable; out of order; out of service.

    Examples:

    "The system is down."

  9. 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."

  10. 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."

  11. 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''."

  12. 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."

  13. Down as an adjective (obsolete):

    Downright; absolute; positive.

  1. 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."

  2. 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."

  3. 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."

  4. 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."

  5. Down as a verb (transitive):

    To write off; to make fun of.

  6. Down as a verb (obsolete, intransitive):

    To go down; to descend.

  1. 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."

  2. Down as a noun (dated):

    A grudge ( someone).

  3. Down as a noun:

    An act of swallowing an entire drink at once.

  4. 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."

  5. 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."

  6. Down as a noun:

    A downstairs room of a two-story house.

    Examples:

    "She lives in a two-up two-down."

  7. Down as a noun:

    Down payment.

  1. Down as a noun:

    Soft, fluffy immature feathers which grow on young birds. Used as insulating material in duvets, sleeping bags and jackets.

  2. Down as a noun (botany):

    The pubescence of plants; the hairy crown or envelope of the seeds of certain plants, such as the thistle.

  3. Down as a noun:

    The soft hair of the face when beginning to appear.

  4. 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.

  1. Down as a verb (transitive):

    To cover, ornament, line, or stuff with down.

  1. Up as an adverb:

    Away from the surface of the Earth or other planet; in opposite direction to the downward pull of gravity.

    Examples:

    "I looked up and saw the airplane overhead."

  2. Up as an adverb (intensifier):

    thoroughly, completely.

    Examples:

    "I will mix up the puzzle pieces."

    "Tear up the contract."

    "He really messed up."

    "Please type up our monthly report."

    "Drink up. The pub is closing."

    "Can you sum up your research?"

    "The comet burned up in the atmosphere."

    "I need to sew up the hole in this shirt."

  3. Up as an adverb:

    To or from one's possession or consideration.

    Examples:

    "I picked up some milk on the way home."

    "The committee will take up your request."

    "She had to give up her driver's license after the accident."

  4. Up as an adverb:

    North.

    Examples:

    "I will go up to New York to visit my family this weekend."

  5. Up as an adverb:

    To a higher level of some quantity or notional quantity, such as price, volume, pitch, happiness, etc.

    Examples:

    "Gold has gone up with the uncertainty in the world markets."

    "Turn it up, I can barely hear it."

    "Listen to your voice go up at the end of a question."

    "Cheer up, the weekend's almost here."

  6. Up as an adverb:

    To or in a position of equal advance or equality; not short of, back of, less advanced than, away from, etc.; usually followed by to or with.

    Examples:

    "I was up to my chin in water."

    "A stranger came up and asked me for directions."

  7. Up as an adverb:

    Aside, so as not to be in use.

    Examples:

    "to lay up riches; put up your weapons"

  8. Up as an adverb (rail transport):

    Traditional term for the direction leading to the principal terminus, towards milepost zero.

  9. Up as an adverb (sailing):

    Against the wind or current.

  10. Up as an adverb (Cartesian graph):

    In a positive vertical direction.

  11. Up as an adverb (cricket):

    Relatively close to the batsman.

    Examples:

    "The bowler pitched the ball up."

  12. Up as an adverb (hospitality, US):

    Without additional ice.

    Examples:

    "Would you like that drink up or on ice?"

  13. Up as an adverb (UK, academia):

    Towards Cambridge or Oxford.

    Examples:

    "She's going up to read Classics this September."

  1. Up as a preposition:

    Toward the top of.

    Examples:

    "The cat went up the tree. They walk up the steps."

  2. Up as a preposition:

    Toward the center, source, or main point of reference; toward the end at which something is attached.

    Examples:

    "The information made its way up the chain of command to the general. I felt something crawling up my arm."

  3. Up as a preposition:

    Further along (in any direction).

    Examples:

    "Go up the street until you see the sign."

  4. Up as a preposition:

    From south to north of

  5. Up as a preposition:

    From the mouth towards the source (of a river or waterway).

  6. Up as a preposition (vulgar slang):

    Of a man: having sex with.

    Examples:

    "Phwoar, look at that bird. I'd love to be up her."

  7. Up as a preposition (colloquial):

    At (a given place, especially one imagined to be higher or more remote from a central location).

  1. Up as an adjective:

    Awake.

    Examples:

    "I can’t believe it’s 3 a.m. and you’re still up."

  2. Up as an adjective:

    Finished, to an end

    Examples:

    "Time is up!"

  3. Up as an adjective:

    In a good mood.

    Examples:

    "I’m feeling up today."

  4. Up as an adjective:

    Willing; ready.

    Examples:

    "If you are up for a trip, let’s go."

  5. Up as an adjective:

    Next in a sequence.

    Examples:

    "Smith is up to bat."

  6. Up as an adjective:

    Happening; new.

    Examples:

    "What is up with that project at headquarters?"

  7. Up as an adjective:

    Facing upwards; facing toward the top.

    Examples:

    "Put the notebook face up on the table."

    "Take a break and put your feet up''."

  8. Up as an adjective:

    Larger; greater in quantity.

    Examples:

    "Sales are up from last quarter."

  9. Up as an adjective:

    Ahead; leading; winning.

    Examples:

    "The home team were up by two goals at half-time."

  10. Up as an adjective:

    Standing.

    Examples:

    "Get up and give her your seat."

  11. Up as an adjective:

    On a higher level.

    Examples:

    "The new ground is up."

  12. Up as an adjective:

    Available; made public.

    Examples:

    "The new notices are up as of last Tuesday."

  13. Up as an adjective (poker, [[postnominal]]):

    Said of the higher-ranking pair in a two pair.

    Examples:

    "AAKK = aces up"

    "QQ33 = queens up"

  14. Up as an adjective:

    Well-informed; current.

    Examples:

    "I’m not up on the latest news. What’s going on?"

  15. Up as an adjective (computing):

    Functional; working.

    Examples:

    "Is the server back up?"

  16. Up as an adjective (of a railway line or train):

    Traveling towards a major terminus.

    Examples:

    "The London train is on the up line."

  17. Up as an adjective:

    Headed, or designated to go, upward, as an escalator, stairway, elevator etc.

  18. Up as an adjective (bar tending):

    Chilled and strained into a stemmed glass.

    Examples:

    "A Cosmopolitan is typically served up."

  19. Up as an adjective (slang):

    Erect.

  20. Up as an adjective (of the Sun or Moon):

    Above the horizon, in the sky (i.e. during daytime or night-time)

  21. Up as an adjective (slang, graffiti):

    well-known; renowned

  1. Up as a noun (uncountable):

    The direction opposed to the pull of gravity.

    Examples:

    "Up is a good way to go."

  2. Up as a noun (countable):

    A positive thing.

    Examples:

    "I hate almost everything about my job. The only up is that it's so close to home."

  3. Up as a noun:

    An upstairs room of a two story house.

    Examples:

    "She lives in a two-up two-down."

  1. Up as a verb (transitive, colloquial):

    To increase or raise.

    Examples:

    "If we up the volume, we'll be able to make out the details."

    "We upped anchor and sailed away."

  2. Up as a verb (transitive, colloquial):

    To promote.

    Examples:

    "It wasn’t long before they upped him to Vice President."

  3. Up as a verb (intransitive):

    To act suddenly, usually with another verb.

    Examples:

    "He just upped and quit."

    "He upped and punched that guy."

  4. Up as a verb (intransitive):

    To ascend; to climb up.

  5. Up as a verb (computing, slang, transitive):

    To upload.

    Examples:

    "100 new apps and games have just been upped."