1. Down indicates movement from a higher place.

Pattern: noun + verb + down + noun
The rocks rolled down the mountain.

Typical verbs used before down:
come, fall, go, move, roll, run, slide, walk

2. Down means following the way of; along

Pattern 1: noun + verb + down + noun
The old man went down the road on foot.

Typical verbs used before down:
come, drive, go, move, run, skate, walk

Pattern 2: noun + verb + noun + down + noun
The boys rode their bikes down the street this morning.

Typical verbs before down:
bring, carry, drive, move, pull, push, ride, take

Typical nouns after down:
freeway, highway, path, road, sidewalk, street, turnpike

3. Down indicates destruction.

Pattern 1: noun + verb + down + noun
The intruder broke down the door.

Typical verbs used before down:
blow, break, bring, burn, cut, strike, take

Pattern 2: verb + noun + down
The intruder broke the door down.

4. Expression

upside down—turned so that the bottom is on top
The cups go in the dishwasher upside down.

5. Phrasal verbs

back down (intransitive)—retreat
The dog backed down when I called his name.

calm down (separable)—soothe; tranquilize
We had to calm the children down after the excitement.

close down (separable)—stop business activity, temporarily or permanently
We close the shop down at four o'clock every day.
They plan to close that business down for good.

come down with (nonseparable)—become sick
She missed the picnic because she came down with the flu.

crack down on (nonseparable)—impose restrictions
The police are cracking down on street violence.

Fact
Light travels at the rate of 186,200 miles a second.      .. More >>