adv. and prep. arch. 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 (see DOWN sb.), 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 became obs., and still survives as a poetic variant of down.]
A. adv.
1. To a lower place or situation; downward, down. With vbs. of motion, and pleonastically with vbs. signifying descent; as fall, sink, alight, sit, kneel.
c. 975. Rushw. Gosp., Luke iv. 9. Ȝif sunu godes arð, asend ðeh hiona of-dune [Lindisf. aduna, W. Sax. nyþer].
a. 1000. Cynewulf, Judith, 291. Hí ðá hreowiʓ móde Wurpon hira wǽpen of dúne.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Man. Astron., 16. Se ne gæð næfre adune under þyssere eorðan.
a. 1090. O. E. Chron. (Laud MS.), an. 1083. And þa oðre ða dura bræcon þær adune and eodon inn.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 61. Þe engles adun follon in to þe þosternesse hellen.
1280. Havelok, 567. And caste þe knaue adoun so harde.
c. 1380. Sir Ferumb., 717. Eyþer enpeynede him with al ys miȝt; to dyngen oþer adoun.
c. 1400. Sege of Melayne, 1480. He tuke his spere owt of reste adownn.
1480. Caxton, Chron. Eng., clxxviii. 159. The brayne fel adoun vpon the ground.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., I. vii. 24. Thrise did she sinke adowne in deadly swownd.
1717. Parnell, Poet. Wks. (1833), 17. And drops his limbs adown.
1808. Scott, Marmion, V. viii. His gorgeous collar hung adown.
1870. Morris, Earthly Par., I. I. 418. Till the wretch falls adown with whirling brain.
† 2. In a lower place; esp. on earth, here below. Obs.
c. 1000. Ælfric, Man. Astron., 16. On winterliere tide hi beoð on niht uppe, & on dæʓe adune.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Maunc. T., 1. Whan Phebus duelt her in this erthe adoun.
1501. Douglas, Pal. 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.
c. 1175. Lamb. Hom., 205. Ðet blisfule bern … ðet þuruh his holi passiun werp þene deouel adun.
1205. Layamon, 19686. A þat Sæxisce men · setten us a-dune [1250 a-doune].
c. 1230. Ancren Riwle, 266. Buh adun þine heorte.
1384. Chaucer, Leg. G. Wom., 250. Ester ley thou thyn meknesse al a-doun.
1393. Langl., P. Pl., C. XI. 94. And with þe pyk putte adoune … Lordes þat lyuen as hem lust.
c. 1430. Syr Generides, 5418. To bring al this werre a doune.
1587. Myrroure for Mag., Morgan, vii. 1. If once I might put her adowne.
† 4. fig. In a lower condition or state. Obs.
1297. R. Glouc., 376. Monye heye men of þe lond in prison he huld strong … And ȝyf þat eny hym wraþþede, adoun he was anon.
B. prep. (with a defining obj.)
1. In a descending direction upon or along.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, II. 764. Adoune the staire anon right tho she went.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., I. vii. 31. [His] scaly taile was stretcht adowne his back full lowe.
1710. Philips, Pastorals, I. 34. To chase the lingring Sun adown the Sky.
1725. Pope, Odyss., XVII. 365. Adown his cheek a tear unbidden stole.
1812. Byron, Ch. Harold, I. lxxxix. Fresh legions pour adown the Pyrenees.
1868. Hawthorne, Amer. Note-Bks. (1879), I. 50. There is also a beautiful view from the mansion, adown the Kennebec.
2. fig. Of time.
1839. Lowell, Threnodia, Wks. 1879, 2. He did but float a little way Adown the stream of time.
1877. M. Arnold, New Sirens, in Poems, I. 40. Adown life’s latter days.
