adown,adv.andprep.arch.|əˈdaʊn|Forms: 1 of dúne, 1–2 adún(e, 2 odune, 3 adun, 3–5 adoun(e, 4–6 adowne, 4– adown.[OE.of dúne off the mount, de monte(seedownn.),cf.OFr.à val:—L. ad vallem to the valley, used in the same sense. As early as 2, the reduced form a-dūn was aphetized to dūn, doun, down, which soon became the ordinary prose form. But adown never becameobs., and still survives as a poetic variant of down.]A.adv.1.To a lower place or situation; downward, down. Withvbs.of motion, and pleonastically withvbs.signifying descent; as fall, sink, alight, sit, kneel.c975Rushw.Gosp.Luke iv. 9Ȝif sunu godes arð, asend ðeh hiona of-dune[Lindisf. aduna, W. Sax. nyþer].
a1000CynewulfJudith 291Hí ðá hreowiᵹ móde Wurpon hira wǽpen of dúne.
c1000ælfricMan.Astron.16Se ne gæð næfre adune under þyssere eorðan.
a1090O.E.Chron.(LaudMS.) an. 1083And þa oðre ða dura bræcon þær adune and eodon inn.
c1175Lamb.Hom.61Þe engles adun follon in to þe þosternesse hellen.
1280Havelok 567And caste þe knaue adoun so harde.
c1380Sir Ferumb. 717Eyþer enpeynede him with al ys miȝt? to dyngen oþer adoun.
c1400Sege off Melayne 1480He tuke his spere owt of reste adownn.
1480CaxtonChron.Eng.clxxviii. 159The brayne fel adoun vpon the ground.
1596SpenserF.Q. i. vii. 24Thrise did she sinke adowne in deadly swownd.
1717ParnellPoet.Wks.(1833) 17And drops his limbs adown.
1808ScottMarm. v. viii,His gorgeous collar hung adown.
1870MorrisEarthly Par. I. i. 418Till the wretch falls adown with whirling brain.
†2.In a lower place; esp.on earth, here below. Obs.c1000ælfricMan.Astron.16On winterliere tide hi beoð on niht uppe, & on dæᵹe adune.
c1386ChaucerManciple's T. 1Whan Phebus duelt her in this erthe adoun.
1501DouglasPal. Hon.Prol.i. viii,O May thou Mirrour of Soles..Till eurie thing adown respirature[=refreshing].
†3.fig.To a lower condition or state. Hence, to bring adown: to bring to an end. Obs.c1175Lamb.Hom.205Ðet blisfule bern..ðet þuruh his holi passiun werp þene deouel adun.
1205Layamon 19686A þat Sæxisce men · setten us a-dune[1250 a-doune].
c1230Ancren Riwle 266Buh adun þine heorte.
1384ChaucerL.G.W. 250Ester ley thou thyn meknesse al a-doun.
1393Langl.P. Pl. C. xi. 94And with þe pyk putte adoune..Lordes þat lyuen as hem lust.
c1430Syr Generides 5418To bring al this werre a doune.
1587Myrroure forMag., Morgan vii. 1,If once I might put her adowne.
†4.fig.In a lower condition or state. Obs.1297R.Glouc.376Monye heye men of þe lond in prison he huld strong..And ȝyf þat eny hym wraþþede, adoun he was anon.
B.prep.(with a definingobj.)1.In a descending direction upon or along.c1374ChaucerTroylus ii. 764Adoune the staire anon right tho she went.
1596SpenserF.Q. i. vii. 31[His]scaly taile was stretcht adowne his back full lowe.
1710PhilipsPastorals i. 34To chase the lingring Sun adown the Sky.
1725PopeOdyss. xvii. 365Adown his cheek a tear unbidden stole.
1812ByronCh.Har. i. lxxxix,Fresh legions pour adown the Pyrenees.
1868HawthorneAmer.Note-Bks. (1879) I. 50There is also a beautiful view from the mansion, adown the Kennebec.
2.fig.Of time.1839LowellThrenodiaWks.1879, 2He did but float a little way Adown the stream of time.
1877M. ArnoldNew Sirens in Poems I. 40Adown life's latter days.
