# download

/ˈdaʊnˌɫoʊd/ (US) · /dˈaʊnləʊd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/download
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 2. to transfer government responsibility

verb · CEFR C1 · Dialect · Formal

to pass a job or cost from a high level of government to a lower one.

For teachers: to transfer jurisdiction, financial responsibility, or service delivery from a federal or provincial government to a municipal one.

- The province decided to download the cost of road repairs to the local city council.
- Critics argued that the federal government was simply downloading its deficit onto the provinces by cutting social transfer payments.

Teaching tip: This sense is specific to Canadian English and is almost always used in the context of political or financial policy.

### 3. a transferred file

noun · CEFR A2

a file that you have moved or are moving from the internet to your device.

For teachers: a file or piece of data that has been or is intended to be transferred from a remote system.

- Your download will be finished in about two minutes.
- The website provides a digital download of the manual in several different languages.

## Examples

- I need to download the new app before we leave.
- You should download the map for offline use because the mountain trail has no mobile signal.
- 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.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.