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. be descended from have as an ancestor. descendent adj.
[ ME f. OF descendre f. L descendere (as DE-, scandere climb) ]