dɪˈsend v. 1 tr. & intr. go or
come down (a
hill, stairs, etc.). 2 intr. (of a thing)
sink,
fall (rain descended heavily). 3 intr.
slope downwards, lie
along a descending slope (fields descended to
the beach). 4 intr. (usu. foll. by on) a
make a
sudden attack. b make an
unexpected and usu.
unwelcome visit (hope
they don't descend on us at the weekend). 5 intr. (usu. foll. by
from, to) (of
property, qualities, rights, etc.) be passed by
inheritance (the
house descends from my
grandmother; the property descended to me). 6 intr. a sink in rank,
quality, etc. b (foll. by to)
degrade oneself morally to (an
unworthy act) (descend to violence). 7 intr. Mus. (of sound)
become lower in pitch. 8 intr. (usu. foll. by to)
proceed (in
discourse or writing): a in
time (to a
subsequent event etc.). b from the
general (to the particular) (now let's descend to details). 9 tr. go along (a
river etc.) to the
sea etc. 10 intr.
Printing (of a letter)
have its tail
below the line. øbe descended from have as an
ancestor. øødescendent adj. [ME f. OF descendre f. L descendere (as
DE-, scandere climb)]
