Contextualizebeta

downcast

adj
/ˈdaʊnkɑːst/UK/ˈdaʊnˌkæst/US

Etymology

The adjective is derived from Middle English doun-casten, *adoun-casten (“(adjective) cast down, dejected; (verb) to break down (something); to overcome (someone); to overturn (something)”), from down (“in a downward direction; (figurative) to destruction”), adoun (“downward”) + casten (“to throw (something), fling, hurl; to overcome (someone), defeat, overpower; [etc.]”) (from Old Norse kasta (“to cast, throw”), from Proto-Germanic *kastōną (“to throw”), from *kas- (“to throw, toss; to bring up”); further etymology uncertain), modelled similarly to other constructions in Middle English such as adoun-throwen (“to throw down”) and adoun-werpen (“to throw down”)). The English word is analysable as down- (prefix meaning ‘lower direction or position’) + cast (“that has been thrown”, adjective). The noun is derived from the adjective.

  1. derived from *kastōną✻ — “to throw”
  2. derived from kasta — “to cast, throw”
  3. inherited from doun-casten

Definitions

  1. Of the eyes, a facial expression, etc.

    Of the eyes, a facial expression, etc.: looking downwards, usually as a sign of discouragement, sadness, etc., or sometimes modesty.

    • Briefly then heere Dido, with downe caſt phiſnomie, parled.
    • [A]s before Empire and Arts made vvay, / (For no leſſe Harbingers vvould ſerve then they) / So they might ſtill, and point us out the place / VVhere firſt the Church ſhould raiſe her dovvn-caſt face.
    • 'Tis Love, ſaid ſhe; and then my dovvn-caſt eyes, / And guilty dumbneſs, vvitneſs'd my ſurprize.

  2. Of a person or thing

    Of a person or thing: cast or thrown to the ground.

    • VVhere liues all vvoe? conduct him to vs three, / The dovvne-caſt ruines of calamitie.
    • […] Dovvncaſt Lucifer revolves his State, / VVith his fall'n Angels ſits in Dark Debate, / And from This Conſtellation bodes his Fate.

  3. Of a thing

    Of a thing: directed downwards.

  4. ›+ 14 more definitions

    1. Of a person

      Of a person: feeling despondent or discouraged.

      • His fine and lovely eyes were now lighted up with indignation, now subdued to downcast sorrow and quenched in infinite wretchedness.

    2. Synonym of downthrow (“a depression of the strata on one side of a fault

      Synonym of downthrow (“a depression of the strata on one side of a fault; also, the degree of downward displacement in such a fault”).

      • a downcast dyke

    3. An act of looking downwards, usually as a sign of discouragement, sadness, etc., or…

      An act of looking downwards, usually as a sign of discouragement, sadness, etc., or sometimes modesty; hence (uncountable, archaic), dejection, melancholy.

      • [C]ome lets be ſad my girles, / That dovvne caſt of thine eye Olimpias, / Shovves a faind ſorrovv; […]
      • I ſavv the reſpectful Dovvncaſt of his Eye, vvhen you catcht him gazing at you during the Muſick: He, I vvarrant, vvas ſurpriz'd, as if he had been taken ſtealing your VVatch. O! the undiſſembled Guilty Look!

    4. An act, or the situation, of being cast or thrown to the ground.

    5. A defeat, an overthrow

      A defeat, an overthrow; also, an act of destruction or ruin.

    6. A cast (“change of expression of a data type”) from supertype to subtype.

    7. A ventilating shaft down which air passes in circulating through a mine.

    8. To turn (the eyes) downwards, usually as a sign of discouragement, sadness, etc., or…

      To turn (the eyes) downwards, usually as a sign of discouragement, sadness, etc., or sometimes modesty.

    9. To cast or throw (something) downwards

      To cast or throw (something) downwards; also, to drop or lower (something).

      • For there shall come a mightier blast, / There shall be a darker day; / And the stars, from heaven down-cast, / Like red leaves be swept away!

    10. To demolish or tear down (a building, etc.).

    11. To make (someone) feel despondent or discouraged

      To make (someone) feel despondent or discouraged; to discourage, to sadden.

    12. To cast (“change the expression of”) (a data type) from supertype to subtype.

    13. To reproach or upbraid (someone)

      To reproach or upbraid (someone); also, to taunt (someone).

    14. To depose or overthrow (a leader, an institution, etc.)

      To depose or overthrow (a leader, an institution, etc.); also (sometimes reflexive), to bring down (oneself or someone) from an exalted position; to humble.

The neighborhood

Derived

downcastly, downcastness, downcasting

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for downcast. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA