ENGLISH
REFERENCE

download

v.
A2 Elementary Oxford US //ˈdaʊnˌɫoʊd// UK //dˈaʊnləʊd// down·load Dialect General-service

v. to copy a file, program, or information from the internet or a larger computer to your own device. You do this to save things like music, photos, or apps so you can use them later.

v. to transfer data from a remote system, such as a server or a cloud platform, to a local device. Transitive — requires a direct object representing the data being moved.


SIMPLE

I need to download the new app before we leave.

CONTEXTUAL

You should download the map for offline use because the mountain trail has no mobile signal.

COMPLEX

The software update began to download automatically as soon as the laptop connected to the office network, ensuring all security patches were applied before the workday started.

Antonyms
Origin

From down- + load. Verbal form first appears c. 1962 in the Wichita Falls (Texas) Times. Nominal form first appears c. 1977 in Scientific American.

Usage

The verb is transitive and takes a direct object. It is often followed by the preposition 'from' to indicate the source.

Pitfall

I downloaded it to the internetI uploaded it to the internetLearners often confuse 'download' (receiving data) with 'upload' (sending data).

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