ENGLISH
REFERENCE

go down with

phr. v..
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford British English

phr. v.. to become sick with a specific illness, like the flu or a cold.

phr. v.. to contract or succumb to a minor illness; typically used with non-life-threatening infectious diseases.


SIMPLE

Half the class has gone down with the flu.

CONTEXTUAL

I think I am going down with a cold because my throat feels very sore.

COMPLEX

Several members of the expedition went down with a mysterious fever, forcing the team to halt their progress and set up a temporary camp.

Particles
down with
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
go + down + with + object
Usage

usually followed by the name of a common illness like 'the flu', 'a cold', or 'food poisoning'.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'catch' (the moment of infection) and 'have' (the state of being sick); 'go down with' emphasizes the transition from health to illness.

Pitfall

He went down with a broken leg.He had a broken leg.this phrase is only used for illnesses or infections, not for physical injuries like breaks or cuts.

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