好词典

downward

UK //ˈdaʊnwəd//US //ˈdaʊnwərd//

词源

源自中古英语 'dounward',由 'down'(向下)和 '-ward'(表示方向的词缀)组合而成,最早可追溯至古英语 'dūnweard'。

adjective

❶ 指向下方的,向下移动的。用于描述物体运动方向或位置变化趋势,常与物理运动或数据变化相关。

“The downward slope made cycling difficult.”

(向下的斜坡让骑车变得困难。)

“We observed a downward trend in sales this quarter.”

(我们观察到本季度销售额呈下降趋势。)

同义词:descending, falling, lowering

adverb

❶ 向下地,朝下方移动。表示动作的方向或位置变化,可与具体动作或抽象趋势搭配使用。

“He slid downward along the banister.”

(他顺着栏杆向下滑。)

“The balloon drifted downward slowly.”

(气球缓慢向下飘落。)

同义词:downwards, below, beneath

常见短语

downward spiral — 指情况持续恶化的过程,常用于描述经济、健康或情绪等抽象概念的不断下滑。

“After losing his job, he fell into a downward spiral of depression.”

(失业后,他陷入了抑郁的恶性循环。)

downward mobility — 社会学术语,描述个人或群体在社会阶层中向更低经济或社会地位移动的现象。

“The study focused on the causes of downward mobility in middle-class families.”

(该研究聚焦中产家庭社会地位下滑的原因。)