downstairs
/daʊnˈstɛɹz/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.72 in modern English
14
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
2
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
adj
Originating in or associated with a lower, embedded clause, as opposed to the matrix clause.
adv
adv
In or to hell.
adv
In or to a lower, embedded clause, as opposed to the matrix clause.
Example Sentences
- "The kids sleep in the downstairs bedroom; we sleep in the upstairs one."
- "In referring to the conditions under which an upstairs negation can be associated with the lower clause, rather than the conditions under which a downstairs negative can be raised, I have tacitly endorsed the semantic or pragmatic approach to the NRP, without having dispelled the problems posed by the intra- and cross-linguistic variation in the selection of trigger predicates."
- "I have to walk downstairs to leave the building."
- "The lodger lives downstairs."
- "something wrong downstairs"
- "Given that all English speakers conventionally use verbs like think and suppose so as to transmit their negation downstairs, while only some speakers operate with the analogous convention for guess, and none do for hope, the distribution of polarity until follows accordingly: […]"
Etymology
Etymology tree English down- Proto-Indo-European *steygʰ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *stéygʰeti Proto-Germanic *stīganą Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Germanic *-janą Proto-Germanic *staigijaną Proto-Indo-European *-rós Proto-Germanic *-raz Proto-Germanic *staigraz Proto-Germanic *staigriz Proto-West Germanic *staigri Old English stǣġer Middle English steire English stair Middle English -es English -s English downstairs From down- + stair + -s.
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /daʊnˈstɛɹz/
- British English: /daʊnˈstɛəz/
Usage
Inflected Forms
further downstairs (comparative)
farther downstairs (comparative)
furthest downstairs (superlative)
farthest downstairs (superlative)