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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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2. People also ask

   What does descending mean?

   • From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English de‧scend /dɪˈsend/ ●●○ verb 1 [ intransitive, transitive] formal to move from a higher level to a lower one OPP ascend → descent Our plane started to descend. I heard his footsteps descending the stairs. descend to/from/into etc The path continues for some way before descending to Garsdale Head.

   descend - Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English | LDOCE

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   What does it mean to descend from a higher to a lower place?

   • To move from a higher to a lower place; come down or go down. To pass from an earlier to a later time, from greater to less, from general to particular, etc. To slope or extend downward. To be related by genetic descent from an individual or individuals in a previous generation. He descends from Norwegian immigrants.

   Descend Definition & Meaning | YourDictionary

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   What does descend mean in astrology?

   • to sink or come down from a certain intellectual, moral, or social standard: He would never descend to baseness. Astronomy to move toward the horizon, as the sun or a star. go or climb down (stairs, a hill, etc.). to extend or lead down along: The path descends the hill.

   descend - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

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   What is the root word for descend?

   • From Middle English decenden, from Old French descendre, from Latin descendere, past participle descensus (“to come down, go down, fall, sink”), from de- (“down”) + scandere (“to climb”). See scan, scandent. Compare ascend, condescend, transcend. They worked on him until she felt the helo descend and finally reach the ground.

   Descend Definition & Meaning | YourDictionary

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3. en.wiktionary.org › wiki › descenddescend - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

   en.wiktionary.org › wiki › descend

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   May 22, 2024 · In speech or writing: to proceed from one matter to another; especially, to pass from more general or important to specific or less important matters to be considered . Chiefly followed by into or to: of a situation: to become worse; to decline, to deteriorate . Synonym: degenerate. The meeting descended into chaos.

4. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › descenddescend verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage ...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › descend

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   Definition of descend verb in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

5. www.ldoceonline.com › dictionary › descenddescend | meaning of descend in Longman Dictionary of ...

   www.ldoceonline.com › dictionary › descend

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   descend. From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English de‧scend /dɪˈsend/ verb 1 [ intransitive, transitive] formal to move from a higher level to a lower one OPP ascend → descent Our plane started to descend.

6. dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › descendDESCEND | definition in the Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › descend

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   Definition of descend – Learner’s Dictionary. descend. verb [ I, T ] formal uk / dɪˈsend / us. Add to word list. B2. to move or go down: We descended four flights of stairs. Phrasal verbs. be descended from sb/sth. (Definition of descend from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press) Translations of descend.

7. en.thefreedictionary.com › descendDescend - definition of descend by The Free Dictionary

   en.thefreedictionary.com › descend

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   1. To move from a higher to a lower place; come or go down. 2. To slope, extend, or incline downward: "A rough path descended like a steep stair into the plain" (J.R.R. Tolkien). 3. a. To be related by genetic descent from an individual or individuals in a previous generation: He descends from Norwegian immigrants. b.

8. dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › descendDESCEND | meaning - Cambridge Learner's Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › learner-english › descend

   • Cached

   verb [ I, T ] formal uk / dɪˈsend / us. Add to word list. B2. to move or go down: We descended four flights of stairs. Phrasal verbs. be descended from sb/sth. (Definition of descend from the Cambridge Learner's Dictionary © Cambridge University Press) Translations of descend. in Chinese (Traditional) 位置, 下降, 走下… See more. in Chinese (Simplified)

9. www.wordreference.com › definition › descenddescend - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

   www.wordreference.com › definition › descend

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   to go or pass from a higher to a lower place; move or come down: to descend from the mountaintop. to pass from higher to lower in any scale or series. to go from generals to particulars, as in a discussion. to slope, tend, or lead downward: The path descends to the pond.