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.
Phrases and idioms:
be descended from have as an ancestor.
Derivatives:
descendent adj.
Etymology: ME f. OF descendre f. L descendere (as DE-, scandere climb)