descending

Verb

descend (third-person singular simple present descends, present participle descending, simple past and past participle descended)

1. (transitive) To pass from a higher to a lower part of (something, such as a flight of stairs or a slope); to go down along or upon.
   • they descended the river in boats
2. (transitive) Of a flight of stairs, a road, etc.: to lead down (a hill, a slope, etc.).
   • They took the steep path that descends the hill down to the beach.
3. (archaic, transitive) To move (someone or something) from a higher to a lower place or position; to bring or send (someone or something) down.
   • [T]he common Devv exhaled from ſome ſorts of Herbs or VVeeds, but eſpecially from the common Graſs, carries vvith it the Seminal Tincture of the Herb, vvhich being again deſcended by Devvs or Rain upon the bare and naked Earth, re-produceth the ſame Species: […]a. 1677 (date written), Matthew Hale, “Concerning Vegetables, and Especially Insecta Animalia; whether any of Them are Sponte Orta, or Arise Not rather Ex Præexistente Semine”, in The Primitive...
4. (intransitive) To physically move or pass from a higher to a lower place or position; to come or go down in any way, such as by climbing, falling, flowing, walking, etc.; to move downwards; to fall, to sink.
   • And there is another watergang, called Haile Fayers watergang, 4 miles long and 16 feet broad, which descendeth by a spoye of stone at Hofkirk bridge into the said great river, which must always be cast at the tenants' cost.1528 September 24 (Gregorian calendar), J[ohn] S[herren] Brewer, compiler, “[A Commission of Sewers for the Marches of Calais, […] Dated Hampton Court, 14 Sept. 20 Hen. VIII.]”, in Letters and...

   Antonyms:

   ascend, climb, go up, rise

5. (intransitive) Of a zodiac sign: to move away from the zenith towards the horizon; to sink; also, of a planet: to move to a place where it has less astrological significance.

   Antonyms:

   ascend, climb, go up, rise

6. (intransitive) Of a celestial body: to move away from the zenith towards the horizon; to sink; also, to move towards the south.
   • [T]he ſetting Sun / Slowly deſcended, and with right aſpect / Againſt the eaſtern Gate of Paradiſe / Leveld his eevning Rayes: […]1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished...

   Antonyms:

   ascend, climb, go up, rise

See all 25 meanings of descend