downhill

Meanings

1. 1
   adv

   toward the bottom of a hill or slope

   The road ran steeply downhill toward the village.

2. 2
   adv

   toward a worse or less successful condition

   After its main customer left, the business went downhill quickly.

3. 3
   adj

   sloping or moving toward lower ground

   The cyclists gathered speed on the downhill stretch.

4. 4
   noun

   a downhill skiing race or course

   She won the downhill by more than half a second.

A transparent compound of down + hill, recorded from Middle English in directional use. The figurative sense transfers physical descent to a decline in quality, success, or condition. The skiing noun is shortened from downhill race.

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