Descend Meaning

/dɪˈsɛnd/
B2

Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

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verbSenses relating to moving from a higher to a lower position.

verbSenses relating to moving from a higher to a lower position., 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.

Let's descend the slope.
I didn't expect his behavior to descend to such a disagreeable level.
Americans descend from immigrants, and they are very patriotic.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
As the elevator began to ____, my ears popped slightly.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Let's ____ the slope.

The verb is derived from Middle English descenden (“to move downwards, fall, descend; to slope downwards; to go from a better to a worse condition, decline, degenerate; to be a descendant, derive from (a source); etc.”), from Anglo-Norman descendere, descendre, and Old French descendere, descendre (“to move downwards, fall, descend; to slope downwards; to be a descendant, derive from (a source); etc.”) (modern French descendre), and from their etymon Latin dēscendere, the present active infinitive of dēscendō (“to come or go down, fall, descend; to slope downwards; to be a descendant; etc.”), from de- (prefix meaning ‘from; down from’) + scandō (“to ascend, climb; to clamber”) (from Proto-Indo-European *skend- (“to climb, scale; to dart; to jump”)). The noun is derived from the verb.

"[T]hey both deſcend the Hill; […]" — 1667, John Milton, “Book X”, 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 as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, line 1497:
"[I]f, after deſcending a flight of ſtairs, vve attempt inadvertently to take another ſtep in the manner of the former ones, the ſhock is extreamly rude and diſagreeable; and by no art, can vve cauſe ſuch a ſhock by the ſame means, vvhen vve expect and prepare for it." — 1756 (date written), [Edmund Burke], “Sect. XVII. The Effects of Blackness.”, in A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful, London: […] R[obert] and J[ames] Dodsley, […], published 1757, →OCLC, part IV, page 146:
"But never tear his cheek descended, / And never smile his brow unbended; […]" — 1816 February 13, [Lord Byron], “Parisina”, in The Siege of Corinth. A Poem. Parisina. A Poem, London: […] [T[homas] Davison] for John Murray, […], →OCLC, stanza XX, page 87, lines 536–537:
"I saw him descend the mountain with greater speed than the flight of an eagle, and quickly lost among the undulations of the sea of ice." — 1816 June – 1817 April/May (date written), [Mary Shelley], chapter IX, in Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus. […], volume II, London: […] [Macdonald and Son] for Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones, published 1 January 1818, →OCLC, page 152:
"[T]hese men descend very steep and dangerous cliffs near Seaham Harbour and pick up coal from the shore." — 1934, J[ohn] B[oynton] Priestley, “To East Durham and the Tees”, in English Journey […], London: William Heinemann in association with Victor Gollancz, →OCLC, section 1, page 323:

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CEFR Practice Quiz
As the elevator began to ____, my ears popped slightly.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Let's ____ the slope.

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