# have down

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/have-down
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to understand something perfectly or to have learned a skill so well that you can do it easily.

For teachers: to have mastered a skill or acquired a complete understanding of a concept; often implies a state of readiness or proficiency following practice.

## Examples

- I finally have the new dance steps down.
- After practicing for three weeks, she has the presentation down and doesn't even need her notes.
- The engineering team has the manufacturing process down to such a degree that they can identify potential failures before they occur.

## Pitfalls

- Not "I have down the song." but "I have the song down." — while technically possible, this phrasal verb is almost always used with the object placed between 'have' and 'down'.

## Usage notes

- usually takes a skill, a process, or a piece of information as its object.
- Teaching tip: often used with the intensifier 'pat' as in 'have it down pat'; contrast with 'get down' which focuses on the process of learning rather than the state of mastery.

---

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.