- descend
- verb
1 (I, T) formal to move from a higher level to a lower one: The plane started to descend.(+ from): He descended slowly from the railway carriage. | descend sth: Mrs Danvers descended the stairs. —opposite ascend2 (I) literary if darkness, night etc descends, it begins to get dark3 in descending order numbers, choices etc that are in descending order are arranged from the highest or most important to the lowest or least importantdescend from sth phrasal verb (T)1 to have developed from something that existed in the past: These ideas descend from those of the ancient philosophers.2 be descended from sb to be related to someone who lived a long time ago: My mother claims she is descended from Abraham Lincoln.descend on/upon sb/sth phrasal verb (T)1 if a feeling descends on someone, they begin to feel it: Gloom descended on the office when we heard the news.2 informal if a large number of people descend on you, they come to your home: My in-laws are descending on us this weekend.descend to sth phrasal verb (T) to behave or speak in an unpleasant way that is not what people expect from you: descend to (doing) sth: I refused to descend to petty personal attacks. | descend to sb's level (=behave or speak in the same unpleasant way as someone else)
Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.