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Downcast

//ˈdaʊnkɑːst// adj, noun, verb

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Of the eyes, a facial expression, etc.: looking downwards, usually as a sign of discouragement, sadness, etc., or sometimes modesty.

    "Briefly then heere Dido, with downe caſt phiſnomie, parled."

  2. 2
    Of a person or thing: cast or thrown to the ground.

    "VVhere liues all vvoe? conduct him to vs three, / The dovvne-caſt ruines of calamitie."

  3. 3
    Of a thing: directed downwards.
  4. 4
    Of a person: feeling despondent or discouraged. figuratively

    "His fine and lovely eyes were now lighted up with indignation, now subdued to downcast sorrow and quenched in infinite wretchedness."

  5. 5
    Of a person or thing: defeated, overthrown; also, destroyed, ruined. figuratively
Adjective
  1. 1
    filled with melancholy and despondency wordnet
  2. 2
    directed downward wordnet
Noun
  1. 1
    Synonym of downthrow (“a depression of the strata on one side of a fault; also, the degree of downward displacement in such a fault”). obsolete

    "a downcast dyke"

  2. 2
    An act of looking downwards, usually as a sign of discouragement, sadness, etc., or sometimes modesty; hence (uncountable, archaic), dejection, melancholy. countable

    "[C]ome lets be ſad my girles, / That dovvne caſt of thine eye Olimpias, / Shovves a faind ſorrovv; […]"

  3. 3
    a ventilation shaft through which air enters a mine wordnet
  4. 4
    An act, or the situation, of being cast or thrown to the ground. archaic, countable, uncountable
  5. 5
    A defeat, an overthrow; also, an act of destruction or ruin. archaic, countable, figuratively, uncountable
Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    A cast (“change of expression of a data type”) from supertype to subtype. countable
  2. 7
    A ventilating shaft down which air passes in circulating through a mine. attributive, countable
Verb
  1. 1
    To turn (the eyes) downwards, usually as a sign of discouragement, sadness, etc., or sometimes modesty. transitive
  2. 2
    To cast or throw (something) downwards; also, to drop or lower (something). transitive

    "For there shall come a mightier blast, / There shall be a darker day; / And the stars, from heaven down-cast, / Like red leaves be swept away!"

  3. 3
    To demolish or tear down (a building, etc.). transitive
  4. 4
    To make (someone) feel despondent or discouraged; to discourage, to sadden. figuratively, transitive
  5. 5
    To cast (“change the expression of”) (a data type) from supertype to subtype. transitive
Show 2 more definitions
  1. 6
    To reproach or upbraid (someone); also, to taunt (someone). Scotland, transitive
  2. 7
    To depose or overthrow (a leader, an institution, etc.); also (sometimes reflexive), to bring down (oneself or someone) from an exalted position; to humble. obsolete, transitive

Etymology

Etymology 1

The adjective is derived from Middle English doun-casten, *adoun-casten (“(adjective) cast down, dejected; (verb) to break down (something); to overcome (someone); to overturn (something)”), from down (“in a downward direction; (figurative) to destruction”), adoun (“downward”) + casten (“to throw (something), fling, hurl; to overcome (someone), defeat, overpower; [etc.]”) (from Old Norse kasta (“to cast, throw”), from Proto-Germanic *kastōną (“to throw”), from *kas- (“to throw, toss; to bring up”); further etymology uncertain), modelled similarly to other constructions in Middle English such as adoun-throwen (“to throw down”) and adoun-werpen (“to throw down”)). The English word is analysable as down- (prefix meaning ‘lower direction or position’) + cast (“that has been thrown”, adjective). The noun is derived from the adjective.

Etymology 2

The adjective is derived from Middle English doun-casten, *adoun-casten (“(adjective) cast down, dejected; (verb) to break down (something); to overcome (someone); to overturn (something)”), from down (“in a downward direction; (figurative) to destruction”), adoun (“downward”) + casten (“to throw (something), fling, hurl; to overcome (someone), defeat, overpower; [etc.]”) (from Old Norse kasta (“to cast, throw”), from Proto-Germanic *kastōną (“to throw”), from *kas- (“to throw, toss; to bring up”); further etymology uncertain), modelled similarly to other constructions in Middle English such as adoun-throwen (“to throw down”) and adoun-werpen (“to throw down”)). The English word is analysable as down- (prefix meaning ‘lower direction or position’) + cast (“that has been thrown”, adjective). The noun is derived from the adjective.

Etymology 3

From Middle English downcast (“misfortune”), adoun-cast (“destruction, overthrow”), from adoun (“downward”) + cast (“a throw, a cast”) (from Old Norse kast (“a throw”), from kasten (“to cast, throw”)), from Middle English casten adoun: see etymology 1. The English word is analysable as down- (prefix meaning ‘lower direction or position’) + cast (“act of throwing”, noun).

Etymology 4

From Middle English doun-casten, *adoun-casten (“to cast or throw (something) downwards; to break down (something); to overcome (someone); to overturn (something)”), from down (“in a downward direction; (figurative) to destruction”), adoun (“downward”) + casten (“to throw (something), fling, hurl; to overcome (someone), defeat, overpower; [etc.]”): see etymology 1. The English word is analysable as down- (prefix meaning ‘lower direction or position’) + cast (“to throw”, verb).

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