- descent
- noun1 movement downADJECTIVE▪ fast, rapid, swift (esp. BrE)▪ slow▪ steep▪ gentle, gradual▪ long▪ difficult, easy▪
They began the difficult descent of the mountain's south face.
▪ final▪The plane was making its final descent.
VERB + DESCENT▪ make▪ begin, start▪ continue▪ slow▪The space capsule used parachutes to slow its descent.
PREPOSITION▪ during a/the descent, on a/the descent▪The engines failed on the plane's descent to Newark.
▪ descent down▪I made a slow and painful descent down the stairs.
▪ descent from▪the descent from the top of the mountain
▪ descent into (figurative)▪his descent into alcoholism
▪ descent to▪The plane began its gentle descent to Narita.
PHRASES▪ a rate of descent▪We slowed the balloon's rate of descent.
2 surface that goes downwardsADJECTIVE▪ gentle▪ steep3 family originsADJECTIVE▪ direct, lineal▪She claims direct descent from Queen Victoria.
▪ common▪Most European languages have a common descent.
▪ mixed▪ African, Chinese, European, Irish, etc.VERB + DESCENT▪ claim, have▪ trace▪ share▪groups sharing common descent
PREPOSITION▪ by descent▪She is Hungarian by descent.
▪ descent from▪He claims to have traced descent from Christopher Columbus.
PHRASES▪ a line of descent▪Humans and other apes followed separate lines of descent from a common ancestor.
▪ of Mexican, Scottish, etc. descent▪She is of mixed European and African descent.
Collocations dictionary. 2013.
