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| ===Etymology=== | | ===Etymology=== |
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− | From [[w:French language|French]] [[descendre]], [[w:Latin|Latin]] [[descendere]], [[descensum]]; [[de-]] + [[scandere]] (meaning ''to climb''). See [[scan]]. | + | From French descendre, Latin descendere, descensum; de- + scandere (meaning ''to climb''). |
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| ===Intransitive verb=== | | ===Intransitive verb=== |
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| # To pass from a higher to a lower place; to move downwards; to come or go down in any way, as by falling, flowing, walking, etc.; to plunge; to fall; to [[incline]] downward | | # To pass from a higher to a lower place; to move downwards; to come or go down in any way, as by falling, flowing, walking, etc.; to plunge; to fall; to [[incline]] downward |
| #:''The rain descended, and the floods came.'' [[Matthew]] vii. 25. | | #:''The rain descended, and the floods came.'' [[Matthew]] vii. 25. |
− | #:''We will here descend to matters of later date.'' [[Fuller]]. | + | #:''We will here descend to matters of later date.'' Fuller. |
| # To enter mentally; to retire. [Poetic] | | # To enter mentally; to retire. [Poetic] |
− | #:''[He] with holiest meditations fed, Into himself descended.'' [[Milton]]. | + | #:''[He] with holiest meditations fed, Into himself descended.'' Milton. |
| # To make an attack, or incursion, as if from a vantage ground; to come suddenly and with violence; -- with [[on]] or [[upon]]. | | # To make an attack, or incursion, as if from a vantage ground; to come suddenly and with violence; -- with [[on]] or [[upon]]. |
− | #:''And on the suitors let thy wrath descend.'' [[Pope]]. | + | #:''And on the suitors let thy wrath descend.'' Pope. |
| # To come down to a lower, less fortunate, humbler, less virtuous, or worse, state or station; to lower or abase one's self; as, he descended from his high estate. | | # To come down to a lower, less fortunate, humbler, less virtuous, or worse, state or station; to lower or abase one's self; as, he descended from his high estate. |
| # To pass from the more general or important to the particular or less important matters to be considered. | | # To pass from the more general or important to the particular or less important matters to be considered. |
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| # To go down upon or along; to pass from a higher to a lower part of; as, they descended the river in boats; to descend a ladder. | | # To go down upon or along; to pass from a higher to a lower part of; as, they descended the river in boats; to descend a ladder. |
| #:''But never tears his cheek descended.'' Byron. | | #:''But never tears his cheek descended.'' Byron. |
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− | ===See also===
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− | *[[descent]]
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− | *[[descender]]
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| ===Antonyms=== | | ===Antonyms=== |