descend
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++de·scend /dɪˈsend/ ●●○ verb 1 [intransitive, transitive] formalDOWN to move from a higher level to a lower one 下来，下降 OPP ascend → descent Our plane started to descend. 我们的飞机开始下降。 I heard his footsteps descending the stairs. 我听到他下楼的脚步声。descend to/from/into etc The path continues for some way before descending to Garsdale Head. 小径延伸了一段距离后，向下通往加斯代尔角。 RegisterIn everyday English, people usually say go down or come down rather than descend: 在日常英语中,人们一般说 go down 或 come down ,而不说 descendThey went down into the lobby. 他们下楼进了大厅。I heard his footsteps coming down the stairs. 我听到他下楼的脚步声。2 [intransitive] literaryTMC if darkness, silence, a feeling etc descends, it becomes dark etc or you start to feel something, especially suddenly 〔黑暗、寂静等突然〕降临；〔感情等突然〕袭来，来临descend on/upon/over Total silence descended on the room. 房间里突然一片寂静。 An air of gloom descended over the party headquarters. 一片阴郁的气氛笼罩着该党总部。3 in descending order (of something) ORDER/SEQUENCEnumbers, choices etc that are in descending order are arranged from the highest or most important to the lowest or least important 按（某事物的）降序排列〔按照从高到低或从重要到次要的顺序排列〕 The hotels are listed in descending order of price. 这些宾馆按价格从高到低列出。4 descend from somebody/something phrasal verb a) be descended from somebodySSFCOME FROM/ORIGINATE to be related to a person or group who lived a long time ago 为某人的后裔 She claims to be descended from Abraham Lincoln. 她声称自己是亚伯拉罕·林肯的后代。 The people here are descended from the Vikings. 这里的人是维京人的后裔。b) COME FROM/ORIGINATEto have developed from something that existed in the past 从〔过去的东西〕发展而来[传下来] SYN come from ideas that descend from those of ancient philosophers 传承自古代哲学家的观点5 descend on/upon somebody/something phrasal verb VISITif a large number of people descend on a person or a place, they come to visit or stay, especially when they are not very welcome 〔许多人〕突然造访〔尤指不太受欢迎的情况下〕 Millions of tourists descend on the area every year. 每年有数百万游客来到这个地区。6 descend to something phrasal verb BEHAVEto behave or speak in an unpleasant way, which is not the way you usually behave 自降身份到…，下作到… SYN stoop to Surely he wouldn’t descend to such a mean trick? 想必他不会无耻到使用这种卑劣的诡计吧？descend to somebody’s level (=behave or speak as badly as someone else) 降低到某人的层次 Other people may gossip, but don’t descend to their level. 别人可能会说闲话，别跟他们学。→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
descend• The plane started to descend.• On shaking legs he began to descend.• Having finished, she descends a little way down the twig and then lays another batch.• The cave descends almost vertically through a maze of boulders from a collapsed roof and is extremely wet and muddy.• The reflex action at this point is to descend into cynicism.• We descended into the cave by a rope ladder.• A Darkfall storm had descended on a factory in Leeds four years earlier.• When Stafford saw Cantor move slowly toward the right, he descended on the opposite side.• Slowly the two climbers descended the cliff face.• Several climbers were descending the mountain.• This circuitous approach gives jets lots of time to descend to the airport.• As you descend, you will slowly begin to feel the mystery and dankness of Carlsbad.descend to/from/into etc• Not that Luke Hunter would ever descend to anything as crude as rape.• As the cylinder descends into deeper air, axial stress increases until elastic failure occurs.• All Gauls claimed to be descended from him.• If you believe in evolution, you believe man is descended from primates, and primates are vegetarian.• Hence the expansion of dictionary definitions descends into progressive generality, displaying a weaker and weaker semantic relationship with the original word.• Behind him, the lift shuddered and began to descend to the ground floor.• Running the length of the forward strut was a ladder for the astronauts to descend from the top porch to the surface.descend on/upon/over• Long before night fell, serious parade lovers were descending on downtown to get a good seat.• Placed in charge, Taylor had written to vendors, requesting catalogs and price lists, and now they descended upon him.• Jesse Jackson descended upon Hollywood to protest the almost total absence of black and minority nominees.• As a result, a heavy dose of reality has descended on the Buchanan campaign.• Investigators descend on the crime scene hunting for clues.• This they had done when they descended on the genteel town of Winchelsea.• Almost immediately, a heatwave descends on the rest of Britain.• In this way, the children became spread out instead of all clustering together with the coins descending on them like hailstones.Origin descend (1300-1400) Old French descendre, from Latin scandere “to climb”de·scend verb →REGISTER1ChineseSyllable
to move a one to Corpus from lower level a higher
descend
de‧scend /dɪˈsend/
verb
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.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say go down or come down rather than descend:
▪They went down into the lobby.
▪I heard his footsteps coming down the stairs.
2. [intransitive] literary if darkness, silence, a feeling etc descends, it becomes dark etc or you start to feel something, especially suddenly
descend on/upon/over
Total silence descended on the room.
An air of gloom descended over the party headquarters.
3. in descending order (of something) numbers, choices etc that are in descending order are arranged from the highest or most important to the lowest or least important:
The hotels are listed in descending order of price.
descend from somebody/something phrasal verb
1. be descended from somebody to be related to a person or group who lived a long time ago:
She claims to be descended from Abraham Lincoln.
The people here are descended from the Vikings.
2. to have developed from something that existed in the past
SYN come from:
ideas that descend from those of ancient philosophers
descend on/upon somebody/something phrasal verb
if a large number of people descend on a person or a place, they come to visit or stay, especially when they are not very welcome:
Millions of tourists descend on the area every year.
descend to something phrasal verb
to behave or speak in an unpleasant way, which is not the way you usually behave
SYN stoop to:
Surely he wouldn’t descend to such a mean trick?
descend to sb’s level (=behave or speak as badly as someone else)
Other people may gossip, but don’t descend to their level.
de‧scend /dɪˈsend/
verb Date: 1300-1400
Language: Old French
Origin: descendre, from Latin scandere 'to climb'
1. [intransitive and transitive] formal to move from a higher level to a lower one Language: Old French
Origin: descendre, from Latin scandere 'to climb'
OPP ascend ⇨ descent:
descend to/from/into etc
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say go down or come down rather than descend:
▪
▪
2. [intransitive] literary if darkness, silence, a feeling etc descends, it becomes dark etc or you start to feel something, especially suddenly
descend on/upon/over
3. in descending order (of something) numbers, choices etc that are in descending order are arranged from the highest or most important to the lowest or least important:
descend from somebody/something phrasal verb
1. be descended from somebody to be related to a person or group who lived a long time ago:
2. to have developed from something that existed in the past
SYN come from:
descend on/upon somebody/something phrasal verb
if a large number of people descend on a person or a place, they come to visit or stay, especially when they are not very welcome:
descend to something phrasal verb
to behave or speak in an unpleasant way, which is not the way you usually behave
SYN stoop to:
descend to sb’s level (=behave or speak as badly as someone else)
