downhill
/'daun'hil/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- Sloping down rather steeply: Describes a surface or path that descends at a significant angle.
- Easy or effortless after initial difficulty: (Figurative) Describes a task or situation that becomes easier after the hardest part is over.
Adverb:
- Toward the bottom of a hill or a lower place: Indicates movement in a descending direction.
- Toward a lower or inferior state: (Figurative) Indicates a decline in quality, condition, or fortune.
Noun:
- The downward slope of a hill: The descending part of a hill or mountain.
- A ski race down a prepared trail: A competitive skiing event held on a downhill course.
Usage Examples
Adjective:
- The downhill path was much easier for the cyclists. (The descending path was less strenuous.)
- Once we finish this project, the rest of the work will be all downhill. (The remaining work will be easy.)
Adverb:
- He coasted downhill on his bicycle. (He rode his bike down the slope.)
- After the injury, his career went steadily downhill. (His career declined continuously.)
Noun:
- We climbed up but enjoyed the walk on the downhill. (We enjoyed the descending part of the walk.)
- She won a gold medal in the downhill. (She won a gold medal in the downhill skiing race.)
Advanced Usage
"to be all downhill from here": (Idiomatic) To indicate that the most difficult part is finished and things will be easier from this point forward.
- The exams are over, so it's all downhill from here until graduation. (The remaining time until graduation will be easy.)
"to go downhill": (Idiomatic) To deteriorate or decline in quality, health, or condition.
- This neighborhood has really gone downhill in the last few years. (The quality of the neighborhood has declined.)
Variants and Related Words
- Downhiller (n): A skier who competes in downhill races.
- He is a champion downhiller.
Synonyms
- Adjective: Descending, declining, falling.
- Adverb: Downward, descending.
- Noun: Descent, decline, slope.
Related Phrases
- Downhill race: Specifically refers to the alpine skiing event.
- The downhill race was postponed due to fog.
Related Idioms
- "Over the hill and down the other side": Past the peak or most challenging point and into an easier phase.
- We've completed the hardest module; we're over the hill and down the other side now.
Adjective
- sloping down rather steeply
Adverb
- toward the bottom of a hill
- running downhill, he gained a lot of speed
- toward a lower or inferior state
- your performance has been going downhill for a long time now
Noun
- a ski race down a trail
- the downward slope of a hill