Definition of descend in English:

descend

verb dɪˈsɛnddəˈsɛnd

[no object]

1Move or fall downwards.
下降；落下
the aircraft began to descend
飞机开始下降。
Example sentencesExamples
- Huge drops of falling rain descended from the heavy clouds above.
- The aircraft continued at altitude for two minutes and then descended rapidly.
- They all board the elevator and the door shuts as they begin descending.
- As we began descending, he reminded me to check my altitude and the terrain.
- Thunder, lightning, and buckets upon buckets of rain descended on the city.
- The machine whirred to life and slowly began descending.
- I felt colder and colder as I descended and was beginning to shiver uncontrollably midway down the mountain.
- We went up for a second and began descending slowly.
- It began descending at full throttle and crashed one mile from the point of its liftoff.
- Caroline leapt out of the van as heavy rain began to descend.
- In moments I descend to depths I would have assumed impossible without scuba gear.
- They began descending, eventually touching back down on the roof.
- He watched as it began descending and landed miles away from where they stood.
- The elevator begins descending, and as daylight disappears, all is silent and darkness envelops us.
- As we began descending from mountains into the desert, I saw agaves, cacti, and ocotillo thriving on the dry, rugged slopes.
- Doors slid silently closed behind him and he began to descend.
- We finally got over the dune and we began descending.
- The black cloud descended lower over them as the car jolted over the pothole strewn country lane through the hills.
- Alas this was not to be as a deluge of rain descended and the dancing had to be abandoned.
Synonyms
go down, come down
drop, fall, sink, subside
dive, plummet, plunge, nosedive, pitch, tumble, slump
1. 1.1 (of a mammal's testes) pass from the abdominal cavity into the scrotum.
2(of a road, path, or flight of steps) slope or lead downwards.
a side road descended into the forest
一条岔道下斜着延伸到森林中。
with object a flight of stairs descended a steep slope
一段狭窄的楼梯陡陡地通到下面。
Example sentencesExamples
- Angel walked the hallways without trouble until she turned at the right hallway and saw several flights of steps descending before her.
- The docks are high over the black water, which slams against the retaining walls; stone steps descend, made slippery by seaweed.
- Slowly, strained, the grate lifted and hung twenty feet above the opening, revealing a flight of stairs that descended downwards.
- A path descends north from this bealach and snakes over rough ground to a rocky basin, passing between two small lochans.
- For traffic driving east, the road descends down a gradient of 0.023 through a wooded area with trees overhanging the road on both sides.
- The path descended, but the light was definitely growing brighter.
- On entering you are confronted by the corrugated stone underside of the ascending flight, the inverse of the other flight descending in front of you.
- Broad flights of steps descended directly into the azure water.
- If you choose to traverse across the hole, the original descent is marked by three prominent fallen stalagmites in front of you, with a slope descending from them.
- She pushed a button, and a large flight of stairs descended from the ship to the ground.
- A quarter of a mile further on, at the eastern limb of the bay, the path descended steeply, zig-zagging across the cliff face to a stretch of beach to the east of Holland Point.
- From the lay-by, the path descends slightly to a gate.
- From the summit, the path descends alongside the wall until a narrow rocky cleft is reached.
- The road descended, and at the foot of the hill I entered the village.
- The road descended through weedy habitat full of sparrows and Red-winged Blackbirds.
Synonyms
slope, dip, slant, decline, go down, sink, fall away
1. 2.1with object Move down (a slope or stairs)
  下（坡，楼梯）
  the vehicle descended a ramp
  车驶下了斜坡。
  Example sentencesExamples
  He descended a ladder and went down through a trapdoor to the 5th floor.
  As I descended the stairs, I was greeted by a room full of people cheering and singing Happy Birthday.
  Descending the steps, she looked upwards at the planet's golden sun.
  The ceremonial Indonesian procession slowly descended the stairs onto the stage.
  A young woman descends the stairs from a low, curtained gallery to hand a sheet of music to a cellist waiting downstairs.
  Lee turned around after descending the ladder, and her breath was taken away.
  She took a deep breath to compose herself and then descended the spiral staircase.
  The whole party turns to look at the two gracefully descending the stairs.
  Lise was descending the steps, the look on her face disapproving as usual.
  The air was crisp and, descending the stairs, I fancied that I could taste the lack of oxygen.
  In another case, a judge dismissed a claim for negligence where a 12-year-old pupil broke her ankle when descending a staircase.
  From the amount of shouting, I would be surprised if anyone in the neighbouring rooms was still asleep, and finally he relented and descended the stairs.
  Quick as I could, I shut the window, exited the bathroom, descended the stairs and went into the kitchen, where both girls were staring out of the window.
  He came upstairs to get me, and as we descended the stairs, he asked if I wanted to drive.
  John Henry is speaking to an acquaintance in the lobby and a beautiful young woman, followed closely behind by a companion, is descending the stairs.
  They have considerable difficulty ascending or descending stairs, and so you may find them in elevators.
  Looking around I reclaimed my fire axe and slowly descended the stairs inside the building.
  He slowly descended the stairs with a grim look on his face.
  The problem presents as anterior knee pain, which is worse after prolonged sitting with the knee flexed, or on climbing or descending stairs or slopes.
  Since many elderly patients are unable to walk, the robust young lad carried them on his back when ascending or descending stairs for daily treatment.
  Synonyms
  climb down, go down, come down, move down, pass down, walk down
  shin down
2. 2.2 Move down a scale of quality.
  下（坡，楼梯）
  three hotels were granted the prestigious five-star status, whilst others descended in quality or maintained their ranking
  Example sentencesExamples
  This is where operators prioritise in descending order the exchanges where they want a presence.
  According to what we understand about the effects of priming, the opposite would be predicted - lower thresholds derived from the descending than the ascending order.
  This will either sort the list ascending or descending.
  In descending order the top five nationalities are Samoa, Tonga, China, Thailand, and Great Britain.
  With only 10 slots, the shuffled deck consists of 20 groups of cards that alternate between ascending and descending card orders.
  You can also choose to display from 10 to 100 items per page, in descending or ascending order.
  You can then decide on posting order: whether alphabetically or by date, ascending or descending.
  Such shifts have been described for both response rates and threshold determinations when both ascending and descending orders of current or frequency values are presented.
3. 2.3Music (of sound) become lower in pitch.
  〔乐〕（声响）渐低，下行
  the chords descended in spectacular style from the upper register to the lower
  Example sentencesExamples
  The implied connection between ‘cadence’ and falling is most explicitly realized in music where a melodic line descends conclusively to the modal final or tonal tonic.
  The second half of the chorus is an admission of defeat, which the music mirrors in a familiar descending chord pattern.
  It begins with a motif comprised of violent, mostly descending chords whose eerie, threatening character sends a chill through the listener.
  By the end of ‘Cromosomi’, with its tricky harmonic sequence that descends in semitones, he had the audience in the palm of his hand.
  The first descending row of chords is just magic, raising the little hairs on the back of a listener's neck.
4. 2.4descend to Act in a shameful way that is far below one's usual standards.
  降低人格做事，堕落到
  he was scrupulous in refusing to descend to misrepresentation
  他为人正直审慎，拒绝做人所不齿的歪曲真相之事。
  Example sentencesExamples
  Politics now dominates - and the level of civility descends to new lows.
  You say cable news squanders its resources by descending to tabloid sensationalism, personality cult shows and aping talk radio with high-testosterone shout shows.
  Sometimes the physical instincts are elevated to a spiritual level and often the spiritual being descends to a baser life.
  Anyone who descends to such cheap jibes with nothing more substantial to say is just making himself ridiculous.
  She never descended to self-pity but preserved in herself a sense of identity and personal dignity that made her so valuable to any whom she befriended.
  Synonyms
  condescend, stoop, lower oneself, abase oneself, humble oneself, demean oneself, debase oneself, deign
  resort, be reduced, go as far as
  informal come down from one's high horse
5. 2.5descend into (of a situation or group of people) reach (an undesirable state)
  （情况，群体）沦落到…的地步
  the army had descended into chaos
  军队已陷入了一片混乱。
  Example sentencesExamples
  What Shakespeare actually shows is an England in which the legal framework gradually descends into anarchy.
  I recognise that overall we must obey those laws or descend into anarchy.
  Almost every important issue descends into a farcical search for hidden agendas - which can be infuriating for those of us who want to debate the issue on its own terms.
  This story descended into farce some time ago, but it reached a new low yesterday.
  Indeed the latest attacks, for all their threat of danger, soon descended into farce.
  Medieval parties to celebrate saints' days would often descend into chaos or a protest.
  Many of the countries I visited soon descended into the most terrible chaos.
  However the situation soon descends into something more sinister.
  From this flawed start the report descends into farce.
  In this situation, the system can handle substantial variability without descending into crisis.
  The situation has now descended into farce as the row rumbles on.
  The game almost descended into farce with the sleet making any meaningful rugby impossible.
  We must not descend to the depth of lawlessness for which the criminal was sentenced.
  After that it descends into something of a mess.
  If we are not to descend into anarchy, we must live under government.
  The traffic descends into chaos for thirty minutes.
  In other words, whichever route one takes in this intellectual landscape, it descends into the same perdition.
  With the onset of the reforms, the power situation in the State descended into chaos.
  The country is holding together so far, but could easily again descend into chaos.
  The council's campaign quickly descended into farce.
  Synonyms
  degenerate, deteriorate, decline, sink, slide, fall, drop
  go downhill, decay, worsen, get/grow worse, take a turn for the worse, go to rack and ruin
  informal go to pot, go to the dogs, go to seed, hit the skids, go down the tubes, go down the toilet
3descend on/uponMake a sudden attack on.
突袭
the militia descended on Rye
民兵突袭拉伊。
Example sentencesExamples
- As the crooks descend upon the money, the lights in the vault suddenly go out.
- The staff watched in horror from their viewport as the first wave of menacing assault wings descended on the dormant federation fleet.
- In Chicago alone, for example, 55 hate crimes were reported in which the attacks were mentioned and at least once an angry mob descended on a mosque.
- In the single worst incident, attackers descended on the village.
- Twenty-nine years ago, its tanks and troops stormed into the country, fighting in the mountains and descending on the capital to restore order to a city ravaged by civil war.
- On 20 May 1941, German parachutists and assault gliders descended upon Crete.
- When we began to make speeches the riot police descended on us and started attacking people, throwing tear gas everywhere.
- Suddenly a band of yelping Indians would descend upon the wagon train and kill every man, woman and child and brutally mutilate some through scalping.
- We should not be like a mob descending on the village and leave like locusts.
- A group of soldiers had already descended upon the police station the day before the assault and aggressively demanded his release.
- I knew that they were far stronger than I was, and that if I did not do something, the other attackers would descend upon me in a moment.
- All of a sudden, the powers that be descended upon them.
- Teenagers descended on three roads in Bocking, affecting at least six cars in the attack at about 10 pm on Sunday night.
- The attackers, 20-30, in number mercilessly descended upon him, armed with snooker cues and bats, beating him to the ground while unconscious.
- A disagreement between four boys was all it took to provoke the gang into descending on the area and attacking people at random, the court heard.
- The pirates seize the vessel and use it to attack a shoreside target, descending upon their target from the air.
- She could hear rage in the attacker's breathing as he descended upon her.
- In a second government-sanctioned attack, 1,000 soldiers descended on the compound.
- He thinks it is only a matter of time before an invasion force descends upon this island nation in an attempt to force a regime change.
Synonyms
attack, make a raid on, assault, set upon, descend on, swoop on, harass, harry, blitz, make inroads on, assail, storm, rush, charge
1. 3.1descend on/upon Make an unexpected visit to.
  groups of visiting supporters descended on a local pub
  一批批外来的支持者突然来到了当地一家酒吧。
  Example sentencesExamples
  But this figure is set to be dwarfed by the crowds expected to descend on the heritage railway once the Harry Potter film is released.
  But in March, when his trial began, protests suddenly escalated, with hundreds of people descending on the small local town to mount a demonstration.
  I spent the evening half-expecting a horde of physicians to descend on me, but Mai was the only one who visited me.
  Eight friends came to visit and descended on my living room.
  He was visiting his children when federal agents descended upon his ex-wife's house and took him away in handcuffs.
  The two women from a development donor agency in the big city descended upon the ‘Developing’ women in the little village unannounced.
  What is it about this time of the year that encourages normally passive shoppers, like husbands and brothers, suddenly to descend on the shops in search of all kinds of gifts?
  One week, the Prime Minister descends on the town to visit the office of a training company.
  Synonyms
  come in force, arrive in hordes, attack, assail, assault, storm, invade, pounce on, raid, swoop on, charge
2. 3.2 (of a feeling) develop suddenly and affect a place or person.
  an air of gloom descended on Labour Party headquarters
  一片沮丧的气氛突然笼罩着工党总部。
  Example sentencesExamples
  Head lowered, she raised her arms, and the gloom descended to envelope us, as if she had pulled it down as a comforting blanket.
  My depression descends on me really suddenly, and… when I am there I can't… move… within it.
  I'm not sure if it was because of the laughing or because of the sudden depression that descended upon me.
  A thick tension descended on them suddenly as their eyes locked.
  A sudden aura of seriousness descended upon us and we returned our sober attention to the doctor.
3. 3.3 (of night or darkness) begin to occur.
  （夜色，黑暗）降临
  as the winter darkness descended, the fighting ceased
  随着冬日夜幕的降临，战斗停止了。
  Example sentencesExamples
  By the time everyone was done, darkness had descended.
  Darkness descended all to quickly upon the three riders in their silent but desperate flight.
  She looked around fearfully and shivered slightly as she entered, the cool darkness descending ominously upon her.
  At that moment a sudden darkness descended upon the house.
  As darkness descends, standing there looking over us, the tree takes on an almost human demeanour, especially when it is lit by a rising full moon.
  An hour later, as darkness was slowly descending on this warm provincial town, we started the recording.
  It's all picture perfect, even if the night does descend rather early and hangs on for hours on end.
  However as things stand right now, darkness is descending, work is finished for the day, and no planting has yet taken place.
  And then, as darkness descended, two sets of supporters assumed position.
  Finally, darkness descended and we - the younger members - met in front of Ed's house as planned.
  By 6pm each evening, the village descends into complete darkness.
  During autumn and winter, darkness descends at about 4pm and the area dies once children have left the two local schools.
  Darkness was beginning to descend and it was time for the happy couple to make the long journey home again where Mick's plan was to have a few pints in his local before closing time.
  By the time they had finished, darkness had descended completely outside.
  It was now a matter of time before the moonless darkness of night descended.
  When the air became chilly and darkness descended, they lit lanterns and retired to a rustic shelter.
  Night was quickly descending, and despite the fact that the teens had slept late into the day, their actions since awakening had tired them out considerably.
  By now it was nearly 4pm and darkness was descending fast.
  When darkness descended we hurriedly cleared the kitchen table in order to commence our fretwork.
  Candles and torches were brought out as darkness descended over Malmesbury.
4be descended fromBe a blood relative of (a specified ancestor)
是…的后裔（尤指是望族的后裔）
John Dalrymple was descended from an ancient Ayrshire family
约翰·达尔林普尔是艾尔郡一古老家族的后裔。
Example sentencesExamples
- The mouse and human genomes descended from a common ancestor some 75 million years ago.
- After 16 years of trawling through documents, the genealogist unearthed proof that Laurence was descended from the female side of the clan.
- Perhaps also the evolutionists could explain their assumption that man is descended from apes.
- Their father was descended from three generations of sea captains.
- The Benn boys were descended from politicians on both sides of the family.
- His mother was of Scots extraction and his father was descended from Belgian bourgeoisie.
- Too many people think evolution is the idea that people are descended from apes.
- Through their oral tradition, they have maintained that they were descended from earlier Jews.
- When I realised that I was descended from this man, I felt intense sadness, anger and shame.
- As I am putting on my coat she tells me about an American geneticist who has discovered that everyone in the world is descended from just seven women.
- White hart deer graze the lawns, said to be descended from two white harts given by Elizabeth 1 to her god-child.
- Life on Earth looks as if it's descended from a common ancestor.
- Although he is descended from Russian aristocracy, he was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
- The island's population - made up of Chinese, Malays and Europeans - is descended from indentured labour brought in to work the deposits of phosphate of lime discovered in 1887.
- This character is common to all animals as the result of their being descended from a common multicellular ancestor that also possessed this character.
- Legend says he was descended from one of the Magi who visited the baby Jesus and was both priest and king.
- In 1940 the island had a population of just over 1,000 people, the vast majority of whom were descended from freedmen who had acquired the land after the civil war.
- It will give some clarity to one's understanding of whom one is descended from.
- They were descended from a family which had once enjoyed respect and honour.
- The findings show that more than 95 percent of dogs in this group were descended from three original female ancestors.
Synonyms
be a descendant of, originate from, issue from, spring from, have as an ancestor, derive from
1. 4.1 (of an asset) pass by inheritance, typically from parent to child.
  （资产）交由…继承
  his lands descended to his eldest son
  他的土地传给了长子。
  Example sentencesExamples
  He remarried, and after his own death in 1556, his property descended to his son William.
  In accordance with Colonel Brooke's will, her property descended to her daughter, whose husband thus became possessed of a respectable income
  Subject to her right of dower, the estate descended to his two sons.
  He had three wives and the estate descended to the son of his third wife.
  Heathcliff dies intestate, the property descends - as it should - to the young lovers, and the two great houses revert to their dynastic owners.
  Synonyms
  be handed down, be passed down, pass by heredity, be transferred by inheritance
  be inherited by

Origin

Middle English: from Old French descendre, from Latin descendere, from de- 'down' + scandere 'to climb'.

scale from Middle English:
English has three main words scale, two of which share an ancestry. The scale of fishes and reptiles has the same root as the scale used for weighing, and both are related to shell. The first scale is the one in the scales fall from someone's eyes, ‘someone is no longer deceived’. In the biblical Acts of the Apostles the expression describes how St Paul, blinded by his vision on the road to Damascus, was given his sight back by God. The weighing scale had the early sense ‘drinking cup’(a meaning which survives in South African English) which probably transferred to the pans of the scales. It comes from Old Norse skál ‘bowl’, also source of the drinking toast skol. The scale in music and measuring derives from Latin scala ‘ladder’, from the root of scandere ‘to climb’, an element in ascend, descend, and condescend, all Late Middle English. See also echelon, scan

Definition of descend in US English:

descend

verbdəˈsɛnddəˈsend

[no object]

1Move or fall downward.
下降；落下
the aircraft began to descend
飞机开始下降。
Example sentencesExamples
- Huge drops of falling rain descended from the heavy clouds above.
- It began descending at full throttle and crashed one mile from the point of its liftoff.
- The machine whirred to life and slowly began descending.
- Caroline leapt out of the van as heavy rain began to descend.
- I felt colder and colder as I descended and was beginning to shiver uncontrollably midway down the mountain.
- They began descending, eventually touching back down on the roof.
- We went up for a second and began descending slowly.
- In moments I descend to depths I would have assumed impossible without scuba gear.
- We finally got over the dune and we began descending.
- He watched as it began descending and landed miles away from where they stood.
- The elevator begins descending, and as daylight disappears, all is silent and darkness envelops us.
- Doors slid silently closed behind him and he began to descend.
- The black cloud descended lower over them as the car jolted over the pothole strewn country lane through the hills.
- As we began descending from mountains into the desert, I saw agaves, cacti, and ocotillo thriving on the dry, rugged slopes.
- Thunder, lightning, and buckets upon buckets of rain descended on the city.
- The aircraft continued at altitude for two minutes and then descended rapidly.
- As we began descending, he reminded me to check my altitude and the terrain.
- Alas this was not to be as a deluge of rain descended and the dancing had to be abandoned.
- They all board the elevator and the door shuts as they begin descending.
Synonyms
go down, come down
1. 1.1 (of a mammal's testes) pass from the abdominal cavity into the scrotum.
2(of stairs, a road or path, or a piece of land) be on a slope or incline and extend downward.
（楼梯，道路，小径，土地）下斜，下倾
a side road descended into the forest
一条岔道下斜着延伸到森林中。
with object a narrow flight of stairs descended a steep slope
一段狭窄的楼梯陡陡地通到下面。
Example sentencesExamples
- Broad flights of steps descended directly into the azure water.
- A path descends north from this bealach and snakes over rough ground to a rocky basin, passing between two small lochans.
- From the summit, the path descends alongside the wall until a narrow rocky cleft is reached.
- For traffic driving east, the road descends down a gradient of 0.023 through a wooded area with trees overhanging the road on both sides.
- A quarter of a mile further on, at the eastern limb of the bay, the path descended steeply, zig-zagging across the cliff face to a stretch of beach to the east of Holland Point.
- If you choose to traverse across the hole, the original descent is marked by three prominent fallen stalagmites in front of you, with a slope descending from them.
- She pushed a button, and a large flight of stairs descended from the ship to the ground.
- Slowly, strained, the grate lifted and hung twenty feet above the opening, revealing a flight of stairs that descended downwards.
- The path descended, but the light was definitely growing brighter.
- The road descended, and at the foot of the hill I entered the village.
- From the lay-by, the path descends slightly to a gate.
- On entering you are confronted by the corrugated stone underside of the ascending flight, the inverse of the other flight descending in front of you.
- The docks are high over the black water, which slams against the retaining walls; stone steps descend, made slippery by seaweed.
- Angel walked the hallways without trouble until she turned at the right hallway and saw several flights of steps descending before her.
- The road descended through weedy habitat full of sparrows and Red-winged Blackbirds.
Synonyms
slope, dip, slant, decline, go down, sink, fall away
1. 2.1with object Move down (a slope or stairs)
  下（坡，楼梯）
  the vehicle descended a ramp
  车驶下了斜坡。
  Example sentencesExamples
  The air was crisp and, descending the stairs, I fancied that I could taste the lack of oxygen.
  From the amount of shouting, I would be surprised if anyone in the neighbouring rooms was still asleep, and finally he relented and descended the stairs.
  Since many elderly patients are unable to walk, the robust young lad carried them on his back when ascending or descending stairs for daily treatment.
  A young woman descends the stairs from a low, curtained gallery to hand a sheet of music to a cellist waiting downstairs.
  He descended a ladder and went down through a trapdoor to the 5th floor.
  Quick as I could, I shut the window, exited the bathroom, descended the stairs and went into the kitchen, where both girls were staring out of the window.
  The ceremonial Indonesian procession slowly descended the stairs onto the stage.
  Looking around I reclaimed my fire axe and slowly descended the stairs inside the building.
  She took a deep breath to compose herself and then descended the spiral staircase.
  The problem presents as anterior knee pain, which is worse after prolonged sitting with the knee flexed, or on climbing or descending stairs or slopes.
  Lee turned around after descending the ladder, and her breath was taken away.
  Descending the steps, she looked upwards at the planet's golden sun.
  In another case, a judge dismissed a claim for negligence where a 12-year-old pupil broke her ankle when descending a staircase.
  He slowly descended the stairs with a grim look on his face.
  Lise was descending the steps, the look on her face disapproving as usual.
  He came upstairs to get me, and as we descended the stairs, he asked if I wanted to drive.
  As I descended the stairs, I was greeted by a room full of people cheering and singing Happy Birthday.
  John Henry is speaking to an acquaintance in the lobby and a beautiful young woman, followed closely behind by a companion, is descending the stairs.
  They have considerable difficulty ascending or descending stairs, and so you may find them in elevators.
  The whole party turns to look at the two gracefully descending the stairs.
  Synonyms
  climb down, go down, come down, move down, pass down, walk down
2. 2.2 Come or go down a scale, especially from the superior to the inferior.
  （尤指从优到劣）依次递降
  three hotels were granted the prestigious five-star status, whilst others descended in quality or maintained their ranking
  Example sentencesExamples
  According to what we understand about the effects of priming, the opposite would be predicted - lower thresholds derived from the descending than the ascending order.
  In descending order the top five nationalities are Samoa, Tonga, China, Thailand, and Great Britain.
  You can then decide on posting order: whether alphabetically or by date, ascending or descending.
  You can also choose to display from 10 to 100 items per page, in descending or ascending order.
  With only 10 slots, the shuffled deck consists of 20 groups of cards that alternate between ascending and descending card orders.
  This will either sort the list ascending or descending.
  Such shifts have been described for both response rates and threshold determinations when both ascending and descending orders of current or frequency values are presented.
  This is where operators prioritise in descending order the exchanges where they want a presence.
3. 2.3Music (of sound) become lower in pitch.
  〔乐〕（声响）渐低，下行
  the chords descended in spectacular style from the upper register to the lower
  Example sentencesExamples
  The implied connection between ‘cadence’ and falling is most explicitly realized in music where a melodic line descends conclusively to the modal final or tonal tonic.
  The second half of the chorus is an admission of defeat, which the music mirrors in a familiar descending chord pattern.
  By the end of ‘Cromosomi’, with its tricky harmonic sequence that descends in semitones, he had the audience in the palm of his hand.
  It begins with a motif comprised of violent, mostly descending chords whose eerie, threatening character sends a chill through the listener.
  The first descending row of chords is just magic, raising the little hairs on the back of a listener's neck.
4. 2.4descend to Act in a specified shameful way that is far below one's usual standards.
  降低人格做事，堕落到
  she descended to self-pity
  Example sentencesExamples
  Sometimes the physical instincts are elevated to a spiritual level and often the spiritual being descends to a baser life.
  Politics now dominates - and the level of civility descends to new lows.
  She never descended to self-pity but preserved in herself a sense of identity and personal dignity that made her so valuable to any whom she befriended.
  You say cable news squanders its resources by descending to tabloid sensationalism, personality cult shows and aping talk radio with high-testosterone shout shows.
  Anyone who descends to such cheap jibes with nothing more substantial to say is just making himself ridiculous.
  Synonyms
  condescend, stoop, lower oneself, abase oneself, humble oneself, demean oneself, debase oneself, deign
5. 2.5descend into (of a situation or group of people) reach (a state considered undesirable or shameful)
  （情况，群体）沦落到…的地步
  the army had descended into chaos
  军队已陷入了一片混乱。
  Example sentencesExamples
  Many of the countries I visited soon descended into the most terrible chaos.
  The country is holding together so far, but could easily again descend into chaos.
  This story descended into farce some time ago, but it reached a new low yesterday.
  In this situation, the system can handle substantial variability without descending into crisis.
  If we are not to descend into anarchy, we must live under government.
  I recognise that overall we must obey those laws or descend into anarchy.
  The situation has now descended into farce as the row rumbles on.
  Medieval parties to celebrate saints' days would often descend into chaos or a protest.
  In other words, whichever route one takes in this intellectual landscape, it descends into the same perdition.
  The game almost descended into farce with the sleet making any meaningful rugby impossible.
  With the onset of the reforms, the power situation in the State descended into chaos.
  Almost every important issue descends into a farcical search for hidden agendas - which can be infuriating for those of us who want to debate the issue on its own terms.
  The council's campaign quickly descended into farce.
  What Shakespeare actually shows is an England in which the legal framework gradually descends into anarchy.
  After that it descends into something of a mess.
  We must not descend to the depth of lawlessness for which the criminal was sentenced.
  From this flawed start the report descends into farce.
  The traffic descends into chaos for thirty minutes.
  Indeed the latest attacks, for all their threat of danger, soon descended into farce.
  However the situation soon descends into something more sinister.
  Synonyms
  degenerate, deteriorate, decline, sink, slide, fall, drop
3descend on/uponMake a sudden attack on.
突袭
the militia descended on Rye
民兵突袭拉伊。
Example sentencesExamples
- In Chicago alone, for example, 55 hate crimes were reported in which the attacks were mentioned and at least once an angry mob descended on a mosque.
- The staff watched in horror from their viewport as the first wave of menacing assault wings descended on the dormant federation fleet.
- On 20 May 1941, German parachutists and assault gliders descended upon Crete.
- Twenty-nine years ago, its tanks and troops stormed into the country, fighting in the mountains and descending on the capital to restore order to a city ravaged by civil war.
- I knew that they were far stronger than I was, and that if I did not do something, the other attackers would descend upon me in a moment.
- A disagreement between four boys was all it took to provoke the gang into descending on the area and attacking people at random, the court heard.
- All of a sudden, the powers that be descended upon them.
- In a second government-sanctioned attack, 1,000 soldiers descended on the compound.
- He thinks it is only a matter of time before an invasion force descends upon this island nation in an attempt to force a regime change.
- As the crooks descend upon the money, the lights in the vault suddenly go out.
- The attackers, 20-30, in number mercilessly descended upon him, armed with snooker cues and bats, beating him to the ground while unconscious.
- Suddenly a band of yelping Indians would descend upon the wagon train and kill every man, woman and child and brutally mutilate some through scalping.
- In the single worst incident, attackers descended on the village.
- When we began to make speeches the riot police descended on us and started attacking people, throwing tear gas everywhere.
- Teenagers descended on three roads in Bocking, affecting at least six cars in the attack at about 10 pm on Sunday night.
- A group of soldiers had already descended upon the police station the day before the assault and aggressively demanded his release.
- The pirates seize the vessel and use it to attack a shoreside target, descending upon their target from the air.
- She could hear rage in the attacker's breathing as he descended upon her.
- We should not be like a mob descending on the village and leave like locusts.
Synonyms
attack, make a raid on, assault, set upon, descend on, swoop on, harass, harry, blitz, make inroads on, assail, storm, rush, charge
1. 3.1 Make an unexpected and typically unwelcome visit to.
  突然来到，突然造访
  treasure-seekers descended upon the site
  Example sentencesExamples
  Eight friends came to visit and descended on my living room.
  He was visiting his children when federal agents descended upon his ex-wife's house and took him away in handcuffs.
  But this figure is set to be dwarfed by the crowds expected to descend on the heritage railway once the Harry Potter film is released.
  The two women from a development donor agency in the big city descended upon the ‘Developing’ women in the little village unannounced.
  I spent the evening half-expecting a horde of physicians to descend on me, but Mai was the only one who visited me.
  What is it about this time of the year that encourages normally passive shoppers, like husbands and brothers, suddenly to descend on the shops in search of all kinds of gifts?
  One week, the Prime Minister descends on the town to visit the office of a training company.
  But in March, when his trial began, protests suddenly escalated, with hundreds of people descending on the small local town to mount a demonstration.
  Synonyms
  come in force, arrive in hordes, attack, assail, assault, storm, invade, pounce on, raid, swoop on, charge
2. 3.2 (of a feeling or atmosphere) develop suddenly and be felt throughout a place or by a person or group of people.
  （感觉，气氛）突然笼罩
  an air of gloom descended on the Democratic Party headquarters
  一片沮丧的气氛突然笼罩着工党总部。
  Example sentencesExamples
  A sudden aura of seriousness descended upon us and we returned our sober attention to the doctor.
  A thick tension descended on them suddenly as their eyes locked.
  My depression descends on me really suddenly, and… when I am there I can't… move… within it.
  Head lowered, she raised her arms, and the gloom descended to envelope us, as if she had pulled it down as a comforting blanket.
  I'm not sure if it was because of the laughing or because of the sudden depression that descended upon me.
3. 3.3 (of night or darkness) begin to occur.
  （夜色，黑暗）降临
  as the winter darkness descended, the fighting ceased
  随着冬日夜幕的降临，战斗停止了。
  Example sentencesExamples
  She looked around fearfully and shivered slightly as she entered, the cool darkness descending ominously upon her.
  Darkness descended all to quickly upon the three riders in their silent but desperate flight.
  At that moment a sudden darkness descended upon the house.
  An hour later, as darkness was slowly descending on this warm provincial town, we started the recording.
  As darkness descends, standing there looking over us, the tree takes on an almost human demeanour, especially when it is lit by a rising full moon.
  However as things stand right now, darkness is descending, work is finished for the day, and no planting has yet taken place.
  And then, as darkness descended, two sets of supporters assumed position.
  When the air became chilly and darkness descended, they lit lanterns and retired to a rustic shelter.
  By 6pm each evening, the village descends into complete darkness.
  Night was quickly descending, and despite the fact that the teens had slept late into the day, their actions since awakening had tired them out considerably.
  By the time everyone was done, darkness had descended.
  Darkness was beginning to descend and it was time for the happy couple to make the long journey home again where Mick's plan was to have a few pints in his local before closing time.
  During autumn and winter, darkness descends at about 4pm and the area dies once children have left the two local schools.
  By the time they had finished, darkness had descended completely outside.
  When darkness descended we hurriedly cleared the kitchen table in order to commence our fretwork.
  It was now a matter of time before the moonless darkness of night descended.
  Finally, darkness descended and we - the younger members - met in front of Ed's house as planned.
  By now it was nearly 4pm and darkness was descending fast.
  Candles and torches were brought out as darkness descended over Malmesbury.
  It's all picture perfect, even if the night does descend rather early and hangs on for hours on end.
4be descended fromBe a direct blood relative of (a specified, typically illustrious ancestor)
是…的后裔（尤指是望族的后裔）
she is descended from Charles II
Example sentencesExamples
- The mouse and human genomes descended from a common ancestor some 75 million years ago.
- After 16 years of trawling through documents, the genealogist unearthed proof that Laurence was descended from the female side of the clan.
- Although he is descended from Russian aristocracy, he was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
- Legend says he was descended from one of the Magi who visited the baby Jesus and was both priest and king.
- It will give some clarity to one's understanding of whom one is descended from.
- They were descended from a family which had once enjoyed respect and honour.
- The island's population - made up of Chinese, Malays and Europeans - is descended from indentured labour brought in to work the deposits of phosphate of lime discovered in 1887.
- The Benn boys were descended from politicians on both sides of the family.
- As I am putting on my coat she tells me about an American geneticist who has discovered that everyone in the world is descended from just seven women.
- When I realised that I was descended from this man, I felt intense sadness, anger and shame.
- White hart deer graze the lawns, said to be descended from two white harts given by Elizabeth 1 to her god-child.
- This character is common to all animals as the result of their being descended from a common multicellular ancestor that also possessed this character.
- Their father was descended from three generations of sea captains.
- Perhaps also the evolutionists could explain their assumption that man is descended from apes.
- In 1940 the island had a population of just over 1,000 people, the vast majority of whom were descended from freedmen who had acquired the land after the civil war.
- Through their oral tradition, they have maintained that they were descended from earlier Jews.
- Life on Earth looks as if it's descended from a common ancestor.
- The findings show that more than 95 percent of dogs in this group were descended from three original female ancestors.
- Too many people think evolution is the idea that people are descended from apes.
- His mother was of Scots extraction and his father was descended from Belgian bourgeoisie.
Synonyms
be a descendant of, originate from, issue from, spring from, have as an ancestor, derive from
1. 4.1 (of an asset) pass by inheritance, typically from parent to child.
  （资产）交由…继承
  his lands descended to his eldest son
  他的土地传给了长子。
  Example sentencesExamples
  Subject to her right of dower, the estate descended to his two sons.
  He had three wives and the estate descended to the son of his third wife.
  In accordance with Colonel Brooke's will, her property descended to her daughter, whose husband thus became possessed of a respectable income
  Heathcliff dies intestate, the property descends - as it should - to the young lovers, and the two great houses revert to their dynastic owners.
  He remarried, and after his own death in 1556, his property descended to his son William.
  Synonyms
  be handed down, be passed down, pass by heredity, be transferred by inheritance

Origin

Middle English: from Old French descendre, from Latin descendere, from de- ‘down’ + scandere ‘to climb’.

单词	descend
释义	Definition of descend in English: descend verb dɪˈsɛnddəˈsɛnd [no object] 1Move or fall downwards. 下降；落下 the aircraft began to descend 飞机开始下降。 Example sentencesExamples Huge drops of falling rain descended from the heavy clouds above. The aircraft continued at altitude for two minutes and then descended rapidly. They all board the elevator and the door shuts as they begin descending. As we began descending, he reminded me to check my altitude and the terrain. Thunder, lightning, and buckets upon buckets of rain descended on the city. The machine whirred to life and slowly began descending. I felt colder and colder as I descended and was beginning to shiver uncontrollably midway down the mountain. We went up for a second and began descending slowly. It began descending at full throttle and crashed one mile from the point of its liftoff. Caroline leapt out of the van as heavy rain began to descend. In moments I descend to depths I would have assumed impossible without scuba gear. They began descending, eventually touching back down on the roof. He watched as it began descending and landed miles away from where they stood. The elevator begins descending, and as daylight disappears, all is silent and darkness envelops us. As we began descending from mountains into the desert, I saw agaves, cacti, and ocotillo thriving on the dry, rugged slopes. Doors slid silently closed behind him and he began to descend. We finally got over the dune and we began descending. The black cloud descended lower over them as the car jolted over the pothole strewn country lane through the hills. Alas this was not to be as a deluge of rain descended and the dancing had to be abandoned. Synonyms go down, come down drop, fall, sink, subside dive, plummet, plunge, nosedive, pitch, tumble, slump 1.1 (of a mammal's testes) pass from the abdominal cavity into the scrotum. 2(of a road, path, or flight of steps) slope or lead downwards. a side road descended into the forest 一条岔道下斜着延伸到森林中。 with object a flight of stairs descended a steep slope 一段狭窄的楼梯陡陡地通到下面。 Example sentencesExamples Angel walked the hallways without trouble until she turned at the right hallway and saw several flights of steps descending before her. The docks are high over the black water, which slams against the retaining walls; stone steps descend, made slippery by seaweed. Slowly, strained, the grate lifted and hung twenty feet above the opening, revealing a flight of stairs that descended downwards. A path descends north from this bealach and snakes over rough ground to a rocky basin, passing between two small lochans. For traffic driving east, the road descends down a gradient of 0.023 through a wooded area with trees overhanging the road on both sides. The path descended, but the light was definitely growing brighter. On entering you are confronted by the corrugated stone underside of the ascending flight, the inverse of the other flight descending in front of you. Broad flights of steps descended directly into the azure water. If you choose to traverse across the hole, the original descent is marked by three prominent fallen stalagmites in front of you, with a slope descending from them. She pushed a button, and a large flight of stairs descended from the ship to the ground. A quarter of a mile further on, at the eastern limb of the bay, the path descended steeply, zig-zagging across the cliff face to a stretch of beach to the east of Holland Point. From the lay-by, the path descends slightly to a gate. From the summit, the path descends alongside the wall until a narrow rocky cleft is reached. The road descended, and at the foot of the hill I entered the village. The road descended through weedy habitat full of sparrows and Red-winged Blackbirds. Synonyms slope, dip, slant, decline, go down, sink, fall away 2.1with object Move down (a slope or stairs) 下（坡，楼梯） the vehicle descended a ramp 车驶下了斜坡。 Example sentencesExamples He descended a ladder and went down through a trapdoor to the 5th floor. As I descended the stairs, I was greeted by a room full of people cheering and singing Happy Birthday. Descending the steps, she looked upwards at the planet's golden sun. The ceremonial Indonesian procession slowly descended the stairs onto the stage. A young woman descends the stairs from a low, curtained gallery to hand a sheet of music to a cellist waiting downstairs. Lee turned around after descending the ladder, and her breath was taken away. She took a deep breath to compose herself and then descended the spiral staircase. The whole party turns to look at the two gracefully descending the stairs. Lise was descending the steps, the look on her face disapproving as usual. The air was crisp and, descending the stairs, I fancied that I could taste the lack of oxygen. In another case, a judge dismissed a claim for negligence where a 12-year-old pupil broke her ankle when descending a staircase. From the amount of shouting, I would be surprised if anyone in the neighbouring rooms was still asleep, and finally he relented and descended the stairs. Quick as I could, I shut the window, exited the bathroom, descended the stairs and went into the kitchen, where both girls were staring out of the window. He came upstairs to get me, and as we descended the stairs, he asked if I wanted to drive. John Henry is speaking to an acquaintance in the lobby and a beautiful young woman, followed closely behind by a companion, is descending the stairs. They have considerable difficulty ascending or descending stairs, and so you may find them in elevators. Looking around I reclaimed my fire axe and slowly descended the stairs inside the building. He slowly descended the stairs with a grim look on his face. The problem presents as anterior knee pain, which is worse after prolonged sitting with the knee flexed, or on climbing or descending stairs or slopes. Since many elderly patients are unable to walk, the robust young lad carried them on his back when ascending or descending stairs for daily treatment. Synonyms climb down, go down, come down, move down, pass down, walk down shin down 2.2 Move down a scale of quality. 下（坡，楼梯） three hotels were granted the prestigious five-star status, whilst others descended in quality or maintained their ranking Example sentencesExamples This is where operators prioritise in descending order the exchanges where they want a presence. According to what we understand about the effects of priming, the opposite would be predicted - lower thresholds derived from the descending than the ascending order. This will either sort the list ascending or descending. In descending order the top five nationalities are Samoa, Tonga, China, Thailand, and Great Britain. With only 10 slots, the shuffled deck consists of 20 groups of cards that alternate between ascending and descending card orders. You can also choose to display from 10 to 100 items per page, in descending or ascending order. You can then decide on posting order: whether alphabetically or by date, ascending or descending. Such shifts have been described for both response rates and threshold determinations when both ascending and descending orders of current or frequency values are presented. 2.3Music (of sound) become lower in pitch. 〔乐〕（声响）渐低，下行 the chords descended in spectacular style from the upper register to the lower Example sentencesExamples The implied connection between ‘cadence’ and falling is most explicitly realized in music where a melodic line descends conclusively to the modal final or tonal tonic. The second half of the chorus is an admission of defeat, which the music mirrors in a familiar descending chord pattern. It begins with a motif comprised of violent, mostly descending chords whose eerie, threatening character sends a chill through the listener. By the end of ‘Cromosomi’, with its tricky harmonic sequence that descends in semitones, he had the audience in the palm of his hand. The first descending row of chords is just magic, raising the little hairs on the back of a listener's neck. 2.4descend to Act in a shameful way that is far below one's usual standards. 降低人格做事，堕落到 he was scrupulous in refusing to descend to misrepresentation 他为人正直审慎，拒绝做人所不齿的歪曲真相之事。 Example sentencesExamples Politics now dominates - and the level of civility descends to new lows. You say cable news squanders its resources by descending to tabloid sensationalism, personality cult shows and aping talk radio with high-testosterone shout shows. Sometimes the physical instincts are elevated to a spiritual level and often the spiritual being descends to a baser life. Anyone who descends to such cheap jibes with nothing more substantial to say is just making himself ridiculous. She never descended to self-pity but preserved in herself a sense of identity and personal dignity that made her so valuable to any whom she befriended. Synonyms condescend, stoop, lower oneself, abase oneself, humble oneself, demean oneself, debase oneself, deign resort, be reduced, go as far as informal come down from one's high horse 2.5descend into (of a situation or group of people) reach (an undesirable state) （情况，群体）沦落到…的地步 the army had descended into chaos 军队已陷入了一片混乱。 Example sentencesExamples What Shakespeare actually shows is an England in which the legal framework gradually descends into anarchy. I recognise that overall we must obey those laws or descend into anarchy. Almost every important issue descends into a farcical search for hidden agendas - which can be infuriating for those of us who want to debate the issue on its own terms. This story descended into farce some time ago, but it reached a new low yesterday. Indeed the latest attacks, for all their threat of danger, soon descended into farce. Medieval parties to celebrate saints' days would often descend into chaos or a protest. Many of the countries I visited soon descended into the most terrible chaos. However the situation soon descends into something more sinister. From this flawed start the report descends into farce. In this situation, the system can handle substantial variability without descending into crisis. The situation has now descended into farce as the row rumbles on. The game almost descended into farce with the sleet making any meaningful rugby impossible. We must not descend to the depth of lawlessness for which the criminal was sentenced. After that it descends into something of a mess. If we are not to descend into anarchy, we must live under government. The traffic descends into chaos for thirty minutes. In other words, whichever route one takes in this intellectual landscape, it descends into the same perdition. With the onset of the reforms, the power situation in the State descended into chaos. The country is holding together so far, but could easily again descend into chaos. The council's campaign quickly descended into farce. Synonyms degenerate, deteriorate, decline, sink, slide, fall, drop go downhill, decay, worsen, get/grow worse, take a turn for the worse, go to rack and ruin informal go to pot, go to the dogs, go to seed, hit the skids, go down the tubes, go down the toilet 3descend on/uponMake a sudden attack on. 突袭 the militia descended on Rye 民兵突袭拉伊。 Example sentencesExamples As the crooks descend upon the money, the lights in the vault suddenly go out. The staff watched in horror from their viewport as the first wave of menacing assault wings descended on the dormant federation fleet. In Chicago alone, for example, 55 hate crimes were reported in which the attacks were mentioned and at least once an angry mob descended on a mosque. In the single worst incident, attackers descended on the village. Twenty-nine years ago, its tanks and troops stormed into the country, fighting in the mountains and descending on the capital to restore order to a city ravaged by civil war. On 20 May 1941, German parachutists and assault gliders descended upon Crete. When we began to make speeches the riot police descended on us and started attacking people, throwing tear gas everywhere. Suddenly a band of yelping Indians would descend upon the wagon train and kill every man, woman and child and brutally mutilate some through scalping. We should not be like a mob descending on the village and leave like locusts. A group of soldiers had already descended upon the police station the day before the assault and aggressively demanded his release. I knew that they were far stronger than I was, and that if I did not do something, the other attackers would descend upon me in a moment. All of a sudden, the powers that be descended upon them. Teenagers descended on three roads in Bocking, affecting at least six cars in the attack at about 10 pm on Sunday night. The attackers, 20-30, in number mercilessly descended upon him, armed with snooker cues and bats, beating him to the ground while unconscious. A disagreement between four boys was all it took to provoke the gang into descending on the area and attacking people at random, the court heard. The pirates seize the vessel and use it to attack a shoreside target, descending upon their target from the air. She could hear rage in the attacker's breathing as he descended upon her. In a second government-sanctioned attack, 1,000 soldiers descended on the compound. He thinks it is only a matter of time before an invasion force descends upon this island nation in an attempt to force a regime change. Synonyms attack, make a raid on, assault, set upon, descend on, swoop on, harass, harry, blitz, make inroads on, assail, storm, rush, charge 3.1descend on/upon Make an unexpected visit to. groups of visiting supporters descended on a local pub 一批批外来的支持者突然来到了当地一家酒吧。 Example sentencesExamples But this figure is set to be dwarfed by the crowds expected to descend on the heritage railway once the Harry Potter film is released. But in March, when his trial began, protests suddenly escalated, with hundreds of people descending on the small local town to mount a demonstration. I spent the evening half-expecting a horde of physicians to descend on me, but Mai was the only one who visited me. Eight friends came to visit and descended on my living room. He was visiting his children when federal agents descended upon his ex-wife's house and took him away in handcuffs. The two women from a development donor agency in the big city descended upon the ‘Developing’ women in the little village unannounced. What is it about this time of the year that encourages normally passive shoppers, like husbands and brothers, suddenly to descend on the shops in search of all kinds of gifts? One week, the Prime Minister descends on the town to visit the office of a training company. Synonyms come in force, arrive in hordes, attack, assail, assault, storm, invade, pounce on, raid, swoop on, charge 3.2 (of a feeling) develop suddenly and affect a place or person. an air of gloom descended on Labour Party headquarters 一片沮丧的气氛突然笼罩着工党总部。 Example sentencesExamples Head lowered, she raised her arms, and the gloom descended to envelope us, as if she had pulled it down as a comforting blanket. My depression descends on me really suddenly, and… when I am there I can't… move… within it. I'm not sure if it was because of the laughing or because of the sudden depression that descended upon me. A thick tension descended on them suddenly as their eyes locked. A sudden aura of seriousness descended upon us and we returned our sober attention to the doctor. 3.3 (of night or darkness) begin to occur. （夜色，黑暗）降临 as the winter darkness descended, the fighting ceased 随着冬日夜幕的降临，战斗停止了。 Example sentencesExamples By the time everyone was done, darkness had descended. Darkness descended all to quickly upon the three riders in their silent but desperate flight. She looked around fearfully and shivered slightly as she entered, the cool darkness descending ominously upon her. At that moment a sudden darkness descended upon the house. As darkness descends, standing there looking over us, the tree takes on an almost human demeanour, especially when it is lit by a rising full moon. An hour later, as darkness was slowly descending on this warm provincial town, we started the recording. It's all picture perfect, even if the night does descend rather early and hangs on for hours on end. However as things stand right now, darkness is descending, work is finished for the day, and no planting has yet taken place. And then, as darkness descended, two sets of supporters assumed position. Finally, darkness descended and we - the younger members - met in front of Ed's house as planned. By 6pm each evening, the village descends into complete darkness. During autumn and winter, darkness descends at about 4pm and the area dies once children have left the two local schools. Darkness was beginning to descend and it was time for the happy couple to make the long journey home again where Mick's plan was to have a few pints in his local before closing time. By the time they had finished, darkness had descended completely outside. It was now a matter of time before the moonless darkness of night descended. When the air became chilly and darkness descended, they lit lanterns and retired to a rustic shelter. Night was quickly descending, and despite the fact that the teens had slept late into the day, their actions since awakening had tired them out considerably. By now it was nearly 4pm and darkness was descending fast. When darkness descended we hurriedly cleared the kitchen table in order to commence our fretwork. Candles and torches were brought out as darkness descended over Malmesbury. 4be descended fromBe a blood relative of (a specified ancestor) 是…的后裔（尤指是望族的后裔） John Dalrymple was descended from an ancient Ayrshire family 约翰·达尔林普尔是艾尔郡一古老家族的后裔。 Example sentencesExamples The mouse and human genomes descended from a common ancestor some 75 million years ago. After 16 years of trawling through documents, the genealogist unearthed proof that Laurence was descended from the female side of the clan. Perhaps also the evolutionists could explain their assumption that man is descended from apes. Their father was descended from three generations of sea captains. The Benn boys were descended from politicians on both sides of the family. His mother was of Scots extraction and his father was descended from Belgian bourgeoisie. Too many people think evolution is the idea that people are descended from apes. Through their oral tradition, they have maintained that they were descended from earlier Jews. When I realised that I was descended from this man, I felt intense sadness, anger and shame. As I am putting on my coat she tells me about an American geneticist who has discovered that everyone in the world is descended from just seven women. White hart deer graze the lawns, said to be descended from two white harts given by Elizabeth 1 to her god-child. Life on Earth looks as if it's descended from a common ancestor. Although he is descended from Russian aristocracy, he was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. The island's population - made up of Chinese, Malays and Europeans - is descended from indentured labour brought in to work the deposits of phosphate of lime discovered in 1887. This character is common to all animals as the result of their being descended from a common multicellular ancestor that also possessed this character. Legend says he was descended from one of the Magi who visited the baby Jesus and was both priest and king. In 1940 the island had a population of just over 1,000 people, the vast majority of whom were descended from freedmen who had acquired the land after the civil war. It will give some clarity to one's understanding of whom one is descended from. They were descended from a family which had once enjoyed respect and honour. The findings show that more than 95 percent of dogs in this group were descended from three original female ancestors. Synonyms be a descendant of, originate from, issue from, spring from, have as an ancestor, derive from 4.1 (of an asset) pass by inheritance, typically from parent to child. （资产）交由…继承 his lands descended to his eldest son 他的土地传给了长子。 Example sentencesExamples He remarried, and after his own death in 1556, his property descended to his son William. In accordance with Colonel Brooke's will, her property descended to her daughter, whose husband thus became possessed of a respectable income Subject to her right of dower, the estate descended to his two sons. He had three wives and the estate descended to the son of his third wife. Heathcliff dies intestate, the property descends - as it should - to the young lovers, and the two great houses revert to their dynastic owners. Synonyms be handed down, be passed down, pass by heredity, be transferred by inheritance be inherited by Origin Middle English: from Old French descendre, from Latin descendere, from de- 'down' + scandere 'to climb'. scale from Middle English: English has three main words scale, two of which share an ancestry. The scale of fishes and reptiles has the same root as the scale used for weighing, and both are related to shell. The first scale is the one in the scales fall from someone's eyes, ‘someone is no longer deceived’. In the biblical Acts of the Apostles the expression describes how St Paul, blinded by his vision on the road to Damascus, was given his sight back by God. The weighing scale had the early sense ‘drinking cup’(a meaning which survives in South African English) which probably transferred to the pans of the scales. It comes from Old Norse skál ‘bowl’, also source of the drinking toast skol. The scale in music and measuring derives from Latin scala ‘ladder’, from the root of scandere ‘to climb’, an element in ascend, descend, and condescend, all Late Middle English. See also echelon, scan Definition of descend in US English: descend verbdəˈsɛnddəˈsend [no object] 1Move or fall downward. 下降；落下 the aircraft began to descend 飞机开始下降。 Example sentencesExamples Huge drops of falling rain descended from the heavy clouds above. It began descending at full throttle and crashed one mile from the point of its liftoff. The machine whirred to life and slowly began descending. Caroline leapt out of the van as heavy rain began to descend. I felt colder and colder as I descended and was beginning to shiver uncontrollably midway down the mountain. They began descending, eventually touching back down on the roof. We went up for a second and began descending slowly. In moments I descend to depths I would have assumed impossible without scuba gear. We finally got over the dune and we began descending. He watched as it began descending and landed miles away from where they stood. The elevator begins descending, and as daylight disappears, all is silent and darkness envelops us. Doors slid silently closed behind him and he began to descend. The black cloud descended lower over them as the car jolted over the pothole strewn country lane through the hills. As we began descending from mountains into the desert, I saw agaves, cacti, and ocotillo thriving on the dry, rugged slopes. Thunder, lightning, and buckets upon buckets of rain descended on the city. The aircraft continued at altitude for two minutes and then descended rapidly. As we began descending, he reminded me to check my altitude and the terrain. Alas this was not to be as a deluge of rain descended and the dancing had to be abandoned. They all board the elevator and the door shuts as they begin descending. Synonyms go down, come down 1.1 (of a mammal's testes) pass from the abdominal cavity into the scrotum. 2(of stairs, a road or path, or a piece of land) be on a slope or incline and extend downward. （楼梯，道路，小径，土地）下斜，下倾 a side road descended into the forest 一条岔道下斜着延伸到森林中。 with object a narrow flight of stairs descended a steep slope 一段狭窄的楼梯陡陡地通到下面。 Example sentencesExamples Broad flights of steps descended directly into the azure water. A path descends north from this bealach and snakes over rough ground to a rocky basin, passing between two small lochans. From the summit, the path descends alongside the wall until a narrow rocky cleft is reached. For traffic driving east, the road descends down a gradient of 0.023 through a wooded area with trees overhanging the road on both sides. A quarter of a mile further on, at the eastern limb of the bay, the path descended steeply, zig-zagging across the cliff face to a stretch of beach to the east of Holland Point. If you choose to traverse across the hole, the original descent is marked by three prominent fallen stalagmites in front of you, with a slope descending from them. She pushed a button, and a large flight of stairs descended from the ship to the ground. Slowly, strained, the grate lifted and hung twenty feet above the opening, revealing a flight of stairs that descended downwards. The path descended, but the light was definitely growing brighter. The road descended, and at the foot of the hill I entered the village. From the lay-by, the path descends slightly to a gate. On entering you are confronted by the corrugated stone underside of the ascending flight, the inverse of the other flight descending in front of you. The docks are high over the black water, which slams against the retaining walls; stone steps descend, made slippery by seaweed. Angel walked the hallways without trouble until she turned at the right hallway and saw several flights of steps descending before her. The road descended through weedy habitat full of sparrows and Red-winged Blackbirds. Synonyms slope, dip, slant, decline, go down, sink, fall away 2.1with object Move down (a slope or stairs) 下（坡，楼梯） the vehicle descended a ramp 车驶下了斜坡。 Example sentencesExamples The air was crisp and, descending the stairs, I fancied that I could taste the lack of oxygen. From the amount of shouting, I would be surprised if anyone in the neighbouring rooms was still asleep, and finally he relented and descended the stairs. Since many elderly patients are unable to walk, the robust young lad carried them on his back when ascending or descending stairs for daily treatment. A young woman descends the stairs from a low, curtained gallery to hand a sheet of music to a cellist waiting downstairs. He descended a ladder and went down through a trapdoor to the 5th floor. Quick as I could, I shut the window, exited the bathroom, descended the stairs and went into the kitchen, where both girls were staring out of the window. The ceremonial Indonesian procession slowly descended the stairs onto the stage. Looking around I reclaimed my fire axe and slowly descended the stairs inside the building. She took a deep breath to compose herself and then descended the spiral staircase. The problem presents as anterior knee pain, which is worse after prolonged sitting with the knee flexed, or on climbing or descending stairs or slopes. Lee turned around after descending the ladder, and her breath was taken away. Descending the steps, she looked upwards at the planet's golden sun. In another case, a judge dismissed a claim for negligence where a 12-year-old pupil broke her ankle when descending a staircase. He slowly descended the stairs with a grim look on his face. Lise was descending the steps, the look on her face disapproving as usual. He came upstairs to get me, and as we descended the stairs, he asked if I wanted to drive. As I descended the stairs, I was greeted by a room full of people cheering and singing Happy Birthday. John Henry is speaking to an acquaintance in the lobby and a beautiful young woman, followed closely behind by a companion, is descending the stairs. They have considerable difficulty ascending or descending stairs, and so you may find them in elevators. The whole party turns to look at the two gracefully descending the stairs. Synonyms climb down, go down, come down, move down, pass down, walk down 2.2 Come or go down a scale, especially from the superior to the inferior. （尤指从优到劣）依次递降 three hotels were granted the prestigious five-star status, whilst others descended in quality or maintained their ranking Example sentencesExamples According to what we understand about the effects of priming, the opposite would be predicted - lower thresholds derived from the descending than the ascending order. In descending order the top five nationalities are Samoa, Tonga, China, Thailand, and Great Britain. You can then decide on posting order: whether alphabetically or by date, ascending or descending. You can also choose to display from 10 to 100 items per page, in descending or ascending order. With only 10 slots, the shuffled deck consists of 20 groups of cards that alternate between ascending and descending card orders. This will either sort the list ascending or descending. Such shifts have been described for both response rates and threshold determinations when both ascending and descending orders of current or frequency values are presented. This is where operators prioritise in descending order the exchanges where they want a presence. 2.3Music (of sound) become lower in pitch. 〔乐〕（声响）渐低，下行 the chords descended in spectacular style from the upper register to the lower Example sentencesExamples The implied connection between ‘cadence’ and falling is most explicitly realized in music where a melodic line descends conclusively to the modal final or tonal tonic. The second half of the chorus is an admission of defeat, which the music mirrors in a familiar descending chord pattern. By the end of ‘Cromosomi’, with its tricky harmonic sequence that descends in semitones, he had the audience in the palm of his hand. It begins with a motif comprised of violent, mostly descending chords whose eerie, threatening character sends a chill through the listener. The first descending row of chords is just magic, raising the little hairs on the back of a listener's neck. 2.4descend to Act in a specified shameful way that is far below one's usual standards. 降低人格做事，堕落到 she descended to self-pity Example sentencesExamples Sometimes the physical instincts are elevated to a spiritual level and often the spiritual being descends to a baser life. Politics now dominates - and the level of civility descends to new lows. She never descended to self-pity but preserved in herself a sense of identity and personal dignity that made her so valuable to any whom she befriended. You say cable news squanders its resources by descending to tabloid sensationalism, personality cult shows and aping talk radio with high-testosterone shout shows. Anyone who descends to such cheap jibes with nothing more substantial to say is just making himself ridiculous. Synonyms condescend, stoop, lower oneself, abase oneself, humble oneself, demean oneself, debase oneself, deign 2.5descend into (of a situation or group of people) reach (a state considered undesirable or shameful) （情况，群体）沦落到…的地步 the army had descended into chaos 军队已陷入了一片混乱。 Example sentencesExamples Many of the countries I visited soon descended into the most terrible chaos. The country is holding together so far, but could easily again descend into chaos. This story descended into farce some time ago, but it reached a new low yesterday. In this situation, the system can handle substantial variability without descending into crisis. If we are not to descend into anarchy, we must live under government. I recognise that overall we must obey those laws or descend into anarchy. The situation has now descended into farce as the row rumbles on. Medieval parties to celebrate saints' days would often descend into chaos or a protest. In other words, whichever route one takes in this intellectual landscape, it descends into the same perdition. The game almost descended into farce with the sleet making any meaningful rugby impossible. With the onset of the reforms, the power situation in the State descended into chaos. Almost every important issue descends into a farcical search for hidden agendas - which can be infuriating for those of us who want to debate the issue on its own terms. The council's campaign quickly descended into farce. What Shakespeare actually shows is an England in which the legal framework gradually descends into anarchy. After that it descends into something of a mess. We must not descend to the depth of lawlessness for which the criminal was sentenced. From this flawed start the report descends into farce. The traffic descends into chaos for thirty minutes. Indeed the latest attacks, for all their threat of danger, soon descended into farce. However the situation soon descends into something more sinister. Synonyms degenerate, deteriorate, decline, sink, slide, fall, drop 3descend on/uponMake a sudden attack on. 突袭 the militia descended on Rye 民兵突袭拉伊。 Example sentencesExamples In Chicago alone, for example, 55 hate crimes were reported in which the attacks were mentioned and at least once an angry mob descended on a mosque. The staff watched in horror from their viewport as the first wave of menacing assault wings descended on the dormant federation fleet. On 20 May 1941, German parachutists and assault gliders descended upon Crete. Twenty-nine years ago, its tanks and troops stormed into the country, fighting in the mountains and descending on the capital to restore order to a city ravaged by civil war. I knew that they were far stronger than I was, and that if I did not do something, the other attackers would descend upon me in a moment. A disagreement between four boys was all it took to provoke the gang into descending on the area and attacking people at random, the court heard. All of a sudden, the powers that be descended upon them. In a second government-sanctioned attack, 1,000 soldiers descended on the compound. He thinks it is only a matter of time before an invasion force descends upon this island nation in an attempt to force a regime change. As the crooks descend upon the money, the lights in the vault suddenly go out. The attackers, 20-30, in number mercilessly descended upon him, armed with snooker cues and bats, beating him to the ground while unconscious. Suddenly a band of yelping Indians would descend upon the wagon train and kill every man, woman and child and brutally mutilate some through scalping. In the single worst incident, attackers descended on the village. When we began to make speeches the riot police descended on us and started attacking people, throwing tear gas everywhere. Teenagers descended on three roads in Bocking, affecting at least six cars in the attack at about 10 pm on Sunday night. A group of soldiers had already descended upon the police station the day before the assault and aggressively demanded his release. The pirates seize the vessel and use it to attack a shoreside target, descending upon their target from the air. She could hear rage in the attacker's breathing as he descended upon her. We should not be like a mob descending on the village and leave like locusts. Synonyms attack, make a raid on, assault, set upon, descend on, swoop on, harass, harry, blitz, make inroads on, assail, storm, rush, charge 3.1 Make an unexpected and typically unwelcome visit to. 突然来到，突然造访 treasure-seekers descended upon the site Example sentencesExamples Eight friends came to visit and descended on my living room. He was visiting his children when federal agents descended upon his ex-wife's house and took him away in handcuffs. But this figure is set to be dwarfed by the crowds expected to descend on the heritage railway once the Harry Potter film is released. The two women from a development donor agency in the big city descended upon the ‘Developing’ women in the little village unannounced. I spent the evening half-expecting a horde of physicians to descend on me, but Mai was the only one who visited me. What is it about this time of the year that encourages normally passive shoppers, like husbands and brothers, suddenly to descend on the shops in search of all kinds of gifts? One week, the Prime Minister descends on the town to visit the office of a training company. But in March, when his trial began, protests suddenly escalated, with hundreds of people descending on the small local town to mount a demonstration. Synonyms come in force, arrive in hordes, attack, assail, assault, storm, invade, pounce on, raid, swoop on, charge 3.2 (of a feeling or atmosphere) develop suddenly and be felt throughout a place or by a person or group of people. （感觉，气氛）突然笼罩 an air of gloom descended on the Democratic Party headquarters 一片沮丧的气氛突然笼罩着工党总部。 Example sentencesExamples A sudden aura of seriousness descended upon us and we returned our sober attention to the doctor. A thick tension descended on them suddenly as their eyes locked. My depression descends on me really suddenly, and… when I am there I can't… move… within it. Head lowered, she raised her arms, and the gloom descended to envelope us, as if she had pulled it down as a comforting blanket. I'm not sure if it was because of the laughing or because of the sudden depression that descended upon me. 3.3 (of night or darkness) begin to occur. （夜色，黑暗）降临 as the winter darkness descended, the fighting ceased 随着冬日夜幕的降临，战斗停止了。 Example sentencesExamples She looked around fearfully and shivered slightly as she entered, the cool darkness descending ominously upon her. Darkness descended all to quickly upon the three riders in their silent but desperate flight. At that moment a sudden darkness descended upon the house. An hour later, as darkness was slowly descending on this warm provincial town, we started the recording. As darkness descends, standing there looking over us, the tree takes on an almost human demeanour, especially when it is lit by a rising full moon. However as things stand right now, darkness is descending, work is finished for the day, and no planting has yet taken place. And then, as darkness descended, two sets of supporters assumed position. When the air became chilly and darkness descended, they lit lanterns and retired to a rustic shelter. By 6pm each evening, the village descends into complete darkness. Night was quickly descending, and despite the fact that the teens had slept late into the day, their actions since awakening had tired them out considerably. By the time everyone was done, darkness had descended. Darkness was beginning to descend and it was time for the happy couple to make the long journey home again where Mick's plan was to have a few pints in his local before closing time. During autumn and winter, darkness descends at about 4pm and the area dies once children have left the two local schools. By the time they had finished, darkness had descended completely outside. When darkness descended we hurriedly cleared the kitchen table in order to commence our fretwork. It was now a matter of time before the moonless darkness of night descended. Finally, darkness descended and we - the younger members - met in front of Ed's house as planned. By now it was nearly 4pm and darkness was descending fast. Candles and torches were brought out as darkness descended over Malmesbury. It's all picture perfect, even if the night does descend rather early and hangs on for hours on end. 4be descended fromBe a direct blood relative of (a specified, typically illustrious ancestor) 是…的后裔（尤指是望族的后裔） she is descended from Charles II Example sentencesExamples The mouse and human genomes descended from a common ancestor some 75 million years ago. After 16 years of trawling through documents, the genealogist unearthed proof that Laurence was descended from the female side of the clan. Although he is descended from Russian aristocracy, he was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Legend says he was descended from one of the Magi who visited the baby Jesus and was both priest and king. It will give some clarity to one's understanding of whom one is descended from. They were descended from a family which had once enjoyed respect and honour. The island's population - made up of Chinese, Malays and Europeans - is descended from indentured labour brought in to work the deposits of phosphate of lime discovered in 1887. The Benn boys were descended from politicians on both sides of the family. As I am putting on my coat she tells me about an American geneticist who has discovered that everyone in the world is descended from just seven women. When I realised that I was descended from this man, I felt intense sadness, anger and shame. White hart deer graze the lawns, said to be descended from two white harts given by Elizabeth 1 to her god-child. This character is common to all animals as the result of their being descended from a common multicellular ancestor that also possessed this character. Their father was descended from three generations of sea captains. Perhaps also the evolutionists could explain their assumption that man is descended from apes. In 1940 the island had a population of just over 1,000 people, the vast majority of whom were descended from freedmen who had acquired the land after the civil war. Through their oral tradition, they have maintained that they were descended from earlier Jews. Life on Earth looks as if it's descended from a common ancestor. The findings show that more than 95 percent of dogs in this group were descended from three original female ancestors. Too many people think evolution is the idea that people are descended from apes. His mother was of Scots extraction and his father was descended from Belgian bourgeoisie. Synonyms be a descendant of, originate from, issue from, spring from, have as an ancestor, derive from 4.1 (of an asset) pass by inheritance, typically from parent to child. （资产）交由…继承 his lands descended to his eldest son 他的土地传给了长子。 Example sentencesExamples Subject to her right of dower, the estate descended to his two sons. He had three wives and the estate descended to the son of his third wife. In accordance with Colonel Brooke's will, her property descended to her daughter, whose husband thus became possessed of a respectable income Heathcliff dies intestate, the property descends - as it should - to the young lovers, and the two great houses revert to their dynastic owners. He remarried, and after his own death in 1556, his property descended to his son William. Synonyms be handed down, be passed down, pass by heredity, be transferred by inheritance Origin Middle English: from Old French descendre, from Latin descendere, from de- ‘down’ + scandere ‘to climb’.
随便看	disciplinarity disciplinary disciplinate disciplinated disciplination disciplinative disciplinatory discipline disciplined disciplined discipline master discipline oneself to do discipline oneself to do something discipline oneself to do something discipline oneself to do sth discipliner discipliner disciplines discipline someone for discipling disciplining disciplinise disciplinize disciplization discipular