# go down

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/go-down
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to descend

phrasal verb · CEFR A2

to move from a higher place to a lower one, like using stairs or a lift.

For teachers: to move from a higher to a lower physical position or level. The verb is intransitive in this sense.

- We had to go down three flights of stairs because the elevator was broken.
- The hikers decided to go down the mountain before the storm arrived, choosing the steeper but faster southern trail.

### 2. to decrease

phrasal verb · CEFR A2

to become lower in amount, price, or level.

For teachers: to decrease in value, amount, or intensity. Often used with subjects like prices, temperatures, or unemployment rates.

- The price of petrol usually goes down during the winter months.
- Economists predict that interest rates will go down once inflation is brought under control by the central bank.

### 3. sun setting

phrasal verb · CEFR A2

when the sun moves below the horizon at the end of the day.

For teachers: to set below the horizon. Relational to the transition from day to evening.

- We sat on the beach and watched the sun go down.
- As the sun went down, the temperature in the desert dropped rapidly, forcing the campers to start a fire.

### 4. to be received

phrasal verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

how people react to an idea, a joke, or a performance.

For teachers: to be received or accepted by an audience or a specific group of people.

- His joke about the boss didn't go down very well at the meeting.
- The proposal to reduce annual leave did not go down well with the union representatives during the first round of negotiations.

### 5. to stop functioning

phrasal verb · CEFR B1

when a computer, a website, or a system stops working.

For teachers: to cease functioning or to become unavailable, specifically regarding computers, servers, or mechanical systems.

- The company's website went down for two hours yesterday afternoon.
- The entire internal network went down after a power surge damaged the main server room equipment.

### 6. to be remembered

phrasal verb · CEFR B2

to be recorded or remembered in a certain way in history.

For teachers: to be recorded or remembered in history or in a formal record. Usually followed by 'as' or 'in history'.

- This victory will go down in history as one of the greatest upsets.
- The CEO's decision to pivot the company's strategy will likely go down as the most significant turning point in its fifty-year history.

### 7. to happen

phrasal verb · CEFR B2 · Slang

to take place or happen, especially something exciting or bad.

For teachers: to take place or occur. Often used to describe events that are unfolding or being planned.

- Nobody really knows what went down during the argument last night.
- The witnesses were reluctant to tell the police exactly what went down when the fight broke out in the club.

### 8. to be defeated

phrasal verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to lose a game or a fight, especially by a large amount.

For teachers: to suffer a defeat in a competition or conflict.

- The champion went down in the fifth round after a heavy blow.
- Despite their early lead, the home team went down four-nil in the final quarter of the match.

### 9. to go to prison

phrasal verb · CEFR C1 · Slang

to be sent to prison for a crime.

For teachers: to be convicted of a crime and sentenced to a term of imprisonment.

- He went down for five years for his part in the robbery.
- The defense attorney argued that his client was a minor player, but the judge ruled he would still go down for the conspiracy.

## Examples

- The price of fuel is going down.
- We watched the sun go down over the ocean from our hotel balcony.
- Despite initial optimism, consumer confidence has continued to go down, prompting concerns about a wider economic recession.

## Usage notes

- Teaching tip: Contrast with 'go up' (increase); introduce the core meaning of 'decrease' first before exploring other senses like the sun setting or a system failing.

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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.