Definition

1. Verb (transitive):
   • To decrease a number to the nearest whole number or specified place value: The action of adjusting a numerical value downward to the closest, typically lower, round figure (e.g., nearest ten, hundred, or integer). It is a specific type of rounding.

Usage

• This verb is used in mathematical, financial, and statistical contexts to simplify figures by reducing their precision.
• It is often followed by the preposition "to" to specify the target place value (e.g., ).
• The phrasal verb is inseparable; the object (the number being rounded) comes after "down."

Examples

• Verb:
  • The cashier will round down the total to the nearest dollar.
  • Please round down 15.78 to the nearest tenth, giving 15.7.
  • The software is programmed to round down all fractional values to integers.

Advanced Usage

• In Programming/Excel: The function is commonly used.
  • Use =ROUNDDOWN(23.456, 2) in Excel to get 23.45.
• Contextual Implication: Rounding down can intentionally create a conservative estimate.
  • To be safe, we rounded down our projected costs.

Variants and Related Words

• Round (verb): The general action of adjusting a number to a nearby approximate value.
• Round off (verb): Often means to round to the nearest whole number or specified digit, which can be up or down depending on the standard rules.
• Round up (verb): The opposite action; to increase a number to the nearest specified higher value.
• Truncate (verb): In mathematics and computing, to cut off digits without rounding; for positive numbers, this is equivalent to rounding down.

Synonyms

• Decrease to the nearest...
• Floor (verb, in mathematics/computing): Specifically means to round down to the greatest integer less than or equal to a number.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Round off: To finish or complete something neatly; in mathematics, to round a number.
  • Let's round off the meeting with a summary.
  • Round off your answer to two decimal places.
• Round up: To gather people or things together; in mathematics, to increase a number to the nearest higher specified value.
  • The sheriff rounded up the suspects.
  • Round up 4.2 to 5.

Related Idioms

• Round numbers: Refers to numbers that end in one or more zeros, often used as approximations.
  • Just give me a round number estimate.
• In round figures: Expressed as an approximate number.
  • The population, in round figures, is about 50,000.

Verb

1. express as a round number
   • round off the amount