Chapter Doughtiness to Down of D by Webster's Dictionary (1913 Edition)

(b) In a low or the lowest position, literally or figuratively; at the bottom of a descent; below the horizon; on the ground; in a condition of humility, dejection, misery, and the like; in a state of quiet.

I was down and out of breath.

Shak.

The moon is down; I have not heard the clock.

Shak.

He that is down needs fear no fall.

Bunyan.

3. From a remoter or higher antiquity.

Venerable men! you have come down to us from a former generation.

D. Webster.

4. From a greater to a less bulk, or from a thinner to a thicker consistence; as, to boil down in cookery, or in making decoctions. Arbuthnot.

Down is sometimes used elliptically, standing for go down, come down, tear down, take down, put down, haul down, pay down, and the like, especially in command or exclamation.

Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the duke.

Shak.

If he be hungry more than wanton, bread alone will down.

Locke.

Down is also used intensively; as, to be loaded down; to fall down; to hang down; to drop down; to pay down.

The temple of Herè at Argos was burnt down.

Jowett

Down, as well as up, is sometimes used in a conventional sense; as, down East.

Persons in London say down to Scotland, etc., and those in the provinces, up to London.

Stormonth.

Down helm (Naut.), an order to the helmsman to put the helm to leeward. — Down onor upon(joined with a verb indicating motion, as go, come, pounce), to attack, implying the idea of threatening power.

Come down upon us with a mighty power.

Shak.

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Down with, take down, throw down, put down; — used in energetic command. "Down with the palace; fire it." Dryden. — To be down on, to dislike and treat harshly. [Slang, U.S.] — To cry down. See under Cry, v. t. — To cut down. See under Cut, v. t. — Up and down, with rising and falling motion; to and fro; hither and thither; everywhere. "Let them wander up and down." Ps. lix. 15.

Down
(Down), prep. [From Down, adv.]

1. In a descending direction along; from a higher to a lower place upon or within; at a lower place in or on; as, down a hill; down a well.

2. Hence: Towards the mouth of a river; towards the sea; as, to sail or swim down a stream; to sail down the sound.

Down the country, toward the sea, or toward the part where rivers discharge their waters into the ocean. — Down the sound, in the direction of the ebbing tide; toward the sea.