down-and-out

[doun-uh nd-out, -uh n] /ˈdaʊn əndˈaʊt, -ən/
adjective
1.
without any money, or means of support, or prospects; destitute; penniless.
2.
without physical strength or stamina; disabled; incapacitated.
3.
too physically weakened by repeated defeats to qualify as a competent professional boxer.
noun
4.
Also, down-and-outer. a person who is down-and-out.
Origin
1885-90, Americanism

down1

[doun] /daʊn/
adverb
1.
from higher to lower; in descending direction or order; toward, into, or in a lower position:
to come down the ladder.
2.
on or to the ground, floor, or bottom:
He fell down.
3.
to or in a sitting or lying position.
4.
to or in a position, area, or district considered lower, especially from a geographical or cartographic standpoint, as to the south, a business district, etc.:
We drove from San Francisco down to Los Angeles.
5.
to or at a lower value or rate.
6.
to a lesser pitch or volume:
Turn down the radio.
7.
in or to a calmer, less active, or less prominent state:
The wind died down.
8.
from an earlier to a later time:
from the 17th century down to the present.
9.
from a greater to a lesser strength, amount, etc.:
to water down liquor.
10.
in an attitude of earnest application:
to get down to work.
11.
on paper or in a book:
Write down the address.
12.
in cash at the time of purchase; at once:
We paid $50 down and $20 a month.
13.
to the point of defeat, submission, inactivity, etc.:
They shouted down the opposition.
14.
in or into a fixed or supine position:
They tied down the struggling animal.
15.
to the source or actual position:
The dogs tracked down the bear.
16.
into a condition of ill health:
He's come down with a cold.
17.
in or into a lower status or condition:
kept down by lack of education.
18.
Nautical. toward the lee side, so as to turn a vessel to windward:
Put the helm down!
19.
Slang. on toast (as used in ordering a sandwich at a lunch counter or restaurant):
Give me a tuna down.
preposition
20.
in a descending or more remote direction or place on, over, or along:
They ran off down the street.
adjective
21.
downward; going or directed downward:
the down escalator.
22.
being at a low position or on the ground, floor, or bottom.
23.
toward the south, a business district, etc.
24.
associated with or serving traffic, transportation, or the like, directed toward the south, a business district, etc.:
the down platform.
25.
downcast; depressed; dejected:
You seem very down today.
26.
ailing, especially, sick and bedridden:
He's been down with a bad cold.
27.
being the portion of the full price, as of an article bought on the installment plan, that is paid at the time of purchase or delivery:
a payment of $200 down.
28.
Football. (of the ball) not in play.
29.
Slang.
  1. agreeing, supporting, or understanding: I'm totally down with that.
    He's down with those kids.
  2. sophisticated or hip; cool:
    That music is down.
30.
behind an opponent or opponents in points, games, etc.:
The team won the pennant despite having been down three games in the final week of play.
31.
Baseball. out.
32.
losing or having lost the amount indicated, especially at gambling:
After an hour at poker, he was down $10.
33.
having placed one's bet:
Are you down for the fourth race?
34.
finished, done, considered, or taken care of:
five down and one to go.
35.
out of order:
The computer has been down all day.
noun
36.
a downward movement; descent.
37.
a turn for the worse; reverse:
The business cycle experienced a sudden down.
38.
Football.
  1. one of a series of four plays during which a team must advance the ball at least 10 yards (9 meters) to keep possession of it.
  2. the declaring of the ball as down or out of play, or the play immediately preceding this.
39.
Slang. an order of toast at a lunch counter or restaurant.
40.
Slang. downer (defs 1a, b).
verb (used with object)
41.
to put, knock, or throw down; subdue:
He downed his opponent in the third round.
42.
to drink down, especially quickly or in one gulp:
to down a tankard of ale.
43.
Informal. to defeat in a game or contest:
The Mets downed the Dodgers in today's game.
44.
to cause to fall from a height, especially by shooting:
Antiaircraft guns downed ten bombers.
verb (used without object)
45.
to go down; fall.
interjection
46.
(used as a command to a dog to stop attacking, to stop jumping on someone, to get off a couch or chair, etc.):
Down, Rover!
47.
(used as a command or warning to duck, take cover, or the like):
Down! They're starting to shoot!
Idioms
48.
down and out, down-and-out.
49.
down cold / pat, mastered or learned perfectly:
Another hour of studying and I'll have the math lesson down cold.
50.
down in the mouth, discouraged; depressed; sad.
51.
down on, Informal. hostile or averse to:
Why are you so down on sports?
52.
down with!,
  1. away with! cease!:
    Down with tyranny!
  2. on or toward the ground or into a lower position:
    Down with your rifles!
Origin
before 1100; Middle English doune, Old English dūne, aphetic variant of adūne for of dūne off (the) hill; see a-2, down3
Related forms
undowned, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for down and out

down1

/daʊn/
preposition
1.
used to indicate movement from a higher to a lower position: they went down the mountain
2.
at a lower or further level or position on, in, or along: he ran down the street
adverb
3.
downwards; at or to a lower level or position: don't fall down
4.
(particle) used with many verbs when the result of the verb's action is to lower or destroy its object: pull down, knock down, bring down
5.
(particle) used with several verbs to indicate intensity or completion: calm down
6.
immediately: cash down
7.
on paper: write this down
8.
arranged; scheduled: the meeting is down for next week
9.
in a helpless position: they had him down on the ground
10.
  1. away from a more important place: down from London
  2. away from a more northerly place: down from Scotland
  3. (of a member of some British universities) away from the university; on vacation
  4. in a particular part of a country: down south
11.
(nautical) (of a helm) having the rudder to windward
12.
reduced to a state of lack or want: down to the last pound
13.
lacking a specified amount: at the end of the day the cashier was ten pounds down
14.
lower in price: bacon is down
15.
including all intermediate terms, grades, people, etc: from managing director down to tea-lady
16.
from an earlier to a later time: the heirloom was handed down
17.
to a finer or more concentrated state: to grind down, boil down
18.
(sport) being a specified number of points, goals, etc behind another competitor, team, etc: six goals down
19.
(of a person) being inactive, owing to illness: down with flu
20.
(functioning as imperative) (to dogs): down Rover!
21.
(functioning as imperative) down with, wanting the end of somebody or something: down with the king!
22.
(Austral & NZ) get down on something, to procure something, esp in advance of needs or in anticipation of someone else
adjective
23.
(postpositive) depressed or miserable
24.
(prenominal) of or relating to a train or trains from a more important place or one regarded as higher: the down line
25.
(postpositive) (of a device, machine, etc, esp a computer) temporarily out of action
26.
made in cash: a down payment
27.
down to, the responsibility or fault of: this defeat was down to me
28.
(informal) down with
  1. having a good understanding of: down with computers
  2. in agreement with: completely down with that idea
  3. enjoying mutual friendship and respect with: down with the kids
verb
29.
(transitive) to knock, push or pull down
30.
(intransitive) to go or come down
31.
(transitive) (informal) to drink, esp quickly: he downed three gins
32.
(transitive) to bring (someone) down, esp by tackling
noun
33.
(American football) one of a maximum of four consecutive attempts by one team to advance the ball a total of at least ten yards
34.
a descent; downward movement
35.
a lowering or a poor period (esp in the phrase ups and downs)
36.
(informal) have a down on, to bear ill will towards (someone or something)
Word Origin
Old English dūne, short for adūne, variant of of dūne, literally: from the hill, from of, off + dūn hill; see down3

down2

/daʊn/
noun
1.
the soft fine feathers with free barbs that cover the body of a bird and prevent loss of heat. In the adult they lie beneath and between the contour feathers
2.
another name for eiderdown (sense 1)
3.
(botany) a fine coating of soft hairs, as on certain leaves, fruits, and seeds
4.
any growth or coating of soft fine hair, such as that on the human face
Word Origin
C14: of Scandinavian origin; related to Old Norse dūnn

down3

/daʊn/
noun
1.
(archaic) a hill, esp a sand dune See also downs (sense 1), Downs (sense 1)
Word Origin
Old English dūn; related to Old Frisian dūne, Old Saxon dūna hill, Old Irish dūn fortress, Greek this sandbank; see dune, town

Down1

/daʊn/
noun
1.
a district of SE Northern Ireland, in Co Down. Pop: 65 195 (2003 est). Area: 649 sq km (250 sq miles)
2.
a historical county of SE Northern Ireland, on the Irish Sea: generally hilly, rising to the Mountains of Mourne: in 1973 it was replaced for administrative purposes by the districts of Ards, Banbridge, Castlereagh, Down, Newry and Mourne, North Down, and part of Lisburn. Area: 2466 sq km (952 sq miles)

Down2

/daʊn/
noun
1.
any of various lowland breeds of sheep, typically of stocky build and having dense close wool, originating from various parts of southern England, such as Oxford, Hampshire, etc See also Dorset Down
2.
another name for Hampshire Down

down-and-out

adjective
1.
without any means of livelihood; impoverished and, often, socially outcast
noun
2.
a person who is destitute and, often, homeless; a social outcast or derelict
Word Origin and History for down and out

down

adv.

late Old English shortened form of Old English ofdune "downwards," from dune "from the hill," dative of dun "hill" (see down (n.2)). A sense development peculiar to English.

Used as a preposition since c.1500. Sense of "depressed mentally" is attested from c.1600. Slang sense of "aware, wide awake" is attested from 1812. Computer crash sense is from 1965. As a preposition from late 14c.; as an adjective from 1560s. Down-and-out is from 1889, American English, from situation of a beaten prizefighter. Down home (adj.) is 1931, American English; down the hatch as a toast is from 1931; down to the wire is 1901, from horse-racing. Down time is from 1952. Down under "Australia and New Zealand" attested from 1886; Down East "Maine" is from 1825.

n.

"soft feathers," late 14c., from Old Norse dunn, perhaps ultimately from PIE root *dheu- (1) "to fly about (like dust), to rise in a cloud."

Old English dun "down, moor; height, hill, mountain," from Proto-Germanic *dunaz- (cf. Middle Dutch dunen "sandy hill," Dutch duin, "probably a pre-insular loan-word from Celtic" [Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names], in other words, borrowed at a very early period, before the Anglo-Saxon migration.

The non-English Germanic words tend to mean "dune, sand bank" (cf. dune), while the Celtic cognates tend to mean "hill, citadel" (cf. Old Irish dun "hill, hill fort;" Welsh din "fortress, hill fort;" and second element in place names London, Verdun, etc.).

From PIE root *dheue- "to close, finish, come full circle." Meaning "elevated rolling grassland" is from c.1300. German Düne, French dune, Italian, Spanish duna are said to be loan-words from Dutch.

v.

1560s, from down (adv.). Related: Downed; downing.

Slang definitions & phrases for down and out

down and out

adjective phrase

Penniless and hopeless; destitute: When you're down and out, remember what did it

[1889+; fr the condition of a fighter who is knocked down unconscious]


down

adjective
  1. Depressed; melancholy; blue: He's realdown about losing that chance (1645+)
  2. Depressing; pessimistic; dampening; downbeat: I don't see the point of making such a ''down'' picture (1950s+)
  3. Not functioning; on the blink: The power plant has been down for two months/ The computer's down again today (1970s+)
  4. Coolly cognizant; at ease in one's own skin; cool: To show how ''down'' you are to youthful consumers/ Of course if you are ''with it,'' you ''be down'' (1970s+)
  5. Excellent; good; profoundly satisfying (1950+ Jazz musicians)
  6. (also down-ass)Having special affinity; linked; in league •The term was strongly revived in the 1990s by black teenagers and street gangs: It wasn't her turf, but she wasn't down special with one gang/ You're down with the heavy metal crowd now/ I am probably one of the few down-ass females on his team/ You're down hard for the 'hood (1930s+ Jazz musicians)
  7. Finished; completed: one down and 30 to go
noun

downer (1960s+ Narcotics)

verb
  1. To eat or drink: I downed an enormous pizza (1860+)
  2. To criticize; complain of; PUT someone or something DOWN: My friends downed me for listening to country music (1960s+)
Related Terms

get down, go down on someone, look down on someone, the lowdown, low-down, meltdown, put-down, put someone down for something, up-and-down

[cool and teenager senses perhaps fr jazz musicians' terms like low down and down and dirty used to praise gutbucket and other jazz when especially well played]


Idioms and Phrases with down and out

down and out

Lacking funds or prospects; destitute, penniless. For example, After losing his job, car, and home, he was completely down and out. This term probably originated in boxing, where it alludes to the fighter who is knocked down and stays down for a given time, thereby losing the bout. [ c. 1900 ]
Also see: down for the count

down

also see: