look down

look down

English

Verb

look down (third-person singular simple present looks down, present participle looking down, simple past and past participle looked down)

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see look,‎ down.

   look down someone's shirt

2. (intransitive) To lower one's eyes; to direct one's look downwards. [from 10th c.]
3. (transitive) To fix one's gaze upon (someone) until they look away; to stare down. [from 17th c.]
   • 1791, James Boswell, No Abolition of Slavery:

     Thurlow, forbear thy awful frown; / I beg you may not look me down […] .

4. (intransitive, finance) To decrease in value. [from 19th c.]

Derived terms

• look down on