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   De·scend

   /dəˈsend/

   

   verb

   • 1. move or fall downward: "the aircraft began to descend" Similar go downcome downdropfallsinksubsidediveplummetplungenosedivepitchtumbleslumpOpposite ascendclimb
   • ▪ (of a mammal's testes) pass from the abdominal cavity into the scrotum.
   • 2. (of stairs, a road or path, or a piece of land) be on a slope or incline and extend downward: "a side road descended into the forest" Similar slopedipslantdeclinego downsinkfall away
   • ▪ move down (a slope or stairs): "the vehicle descended a ramp" Similar climb downgo downcome downmove downpass downwalk downshin downOpposite ascendclimb
   • ▪ come or go down a scale, especially from the superior to the inferior: "three hotels were granted the prestigious five-star status, whilst others descended in quality or maintained their ranking"
   • ▪ (of sound) become lower in pitch: "the chords descended in spectacular style from the upper register to the lower"
   • ▪ act in a specified shameful way that is far below one's usual standards: "she descended to self-pity" Similar condescendstooplower oneselfabase oneselfhumble oneselfdemean oneselfdebase oneselfdeignresortbe reducedgo as far asinformal:come down from one's high horse
   • ▪ (of a situation or group of people) reach (a state considered undesirable or shameful): "the army had descended into chaos" Similar degeneratedeterioratedeclinesinkslidefalldropgo downhilldecayworsenget/grow worsetake a turn for the worsego to rack and ruininformal:go to potgo to the dogsgo to seedhit the skidsgo down the tubesgo down the toiletOpposite improve
   • 3. make a sudden attack on: "the militia descended on Rye"
   • ▪ make an unexpected and typically unwelcome visit to: "treasure-seekers descended upon the site" Similar come in forcearrive in hordesattackassailassaultstorminvadepounce onraidswoop oncharge
   • ▪ (of a feeling or atmosphere) develop suddenly and be felt throughout a place or by a person or group of people: "with her death, a cloud of gloom descended upon Bollywood"
   • ▪ (of night or darkness) begin to occur: "as the winter darkness descended, the fighting ceased"
   • 4. be a direct blood relative of (a specified, typically illustrious ancestor): "she is descended from Charles II" Similar be a descendant oforiginate fromissue fromspring fromhave as an ancestorderive from
   • ▪ (of an asset) pass by inheritance, typically from parent to child: "his lands descended to his eldest son" Similar be handed downbe passed downpass by hereditybe transferred by inheritancebe inherited byOpposite bequeath to

   Word Origin Middle English: from Old French descendre, from Latin descendere, from de- ‘down’ + scandere ‘to climb’.

   Scrabble Points: 11

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