count down

1. verb To count backwards from any number to zero in preparation for something (which typically happens when the countdown reaches zero). Everyone counted down the seconds and then shouted, "Happy New Year!"

2. verb By extension, to wait for something impatiently. At this point, I'm counting down the days to my due date because I'm so sick of being pregnant!

3. noun The act of counting backwards from any number to zero in preparation for something (which typically happens when the countdown reaches zero). When used as a noun, the phrase is usually written as one word. At the end of the countdown, everyone shouted, "Happy New Year!"

See also: count, down

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

count down

to count backwards to an event that will start when zero is reached. The project manager was counting down—getting ready for the launch of the rocket. I can still hear the captain counting down: "Five, four, three, two, one, zero, blast off!"

See also: count, down

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

count down

1. Count backward from any number to zero to indicate time, as in The final seconds before take off were counted down: 10, 9, 8, etc. The down in this term refers to the decreasing size of the numbers. This usage originated in connection with the firing of missiles and spacecraft and has since been broadened to such events as the roll call of states at a political convention. [c. 1950]

2. Make final preparations for an event, as in Hong Kong was counting down to the day when it became part of mainland China. This usage is derived from def. 1. [Late 1950s]

See also: count, down

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.

count down

1. To count backward to zero, especially when leading to the start of an important event: With only ten seconds until midnight, the crowd counted down to the beginning of the new year.

2. To anticipate something eagerly: The children are counting down to their summer vacation.

See also: count, down

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.

See also:

fix on
fix on (someone or something)
cross over
biff
cook out
going to
fall out
fallout
go on (doing something)
Go on!

References in periodicals archive

More than 44,000 listeners cast their votes in the poll for Classic FM which will count down the top 30 from noon today.

Rings score lords it over other movie soundtracks

Then they count down the days until the old person dies so they can re-sell the house at a profit.

Home profit; Yourview

AS we count down these last couple of days to Christmas we look at what our favourite gay venues in the city have on offer this week.

Christmas Eve sees all your favourite bars and clubs opening their doors to count down the hours.

Whats On: Gay Life - Get set for these seasonal shindigs

Presenter Jane Jones will count down the top 30 on Christmas Day.

O Holy Night

Crowds gathered in many of the city's squares to count down to midnight and welcome in 1978.

Archive

The two runners up were: Anne Dyas - Tea at the Museum and Mark Paffard - DenialThe 17 other other anthology contributors to be published in Birmingham Nouveau in November are: Simon Broadley - Checking Out; Luke Brown - Windows; WE Davies - City Ancient and Modern; Pauline E Dungate - Count Down to Carnival; David Hart - I Was Told; Al Hutchings -At the Back of the Carriage; Nick Jones - The Tears of Trevor; Idrees Kayani - King of the Baltis; Sidura Ludwig - Finding Rifka; Richard Lutz - Big T and the Girl with Blue Black Hair; Laura McFall - Market Fashion Ava Ming - Lena; John Mulcreevey - Face Like a Feyenoord Shirt; Julie Nugent - The Visit; Audrey Sandbrook - Mr Attwood; Jan Stevens - Changing City; Rachel Taylor - Extinct

Culture: Comeptition winners

A Giant lit-up sign on the Eiffel Tower is to count down the 1,000 days to the millenium.

GRAB AN EIFFEL!

These watches will prepare you for the big hour and enable you to count down the number of days, hours, minutes and seconds which bring us all towards the year 2000.

Competitions: Wind up for the millennium countdown

Offshore Rig Count down 2 rigs to 18 and down 4 rigs year-over-year.

Baker Hughes reports U.S. rig count down 7 to 1,052 rigs

* 48% of parents plan to count down the last 10 seconds of 2017 with their kids by 9 p.m.

Where Best to Celebrate

词组	count down
释义	count down count down 1. verb To count backwards from any number to zero in preparation for something (which typically happens when the countdown reaches zero). Everyone counted down the seconds and then shouted, "Happy New Year!" 2. verb By extension, to wait for something impatiently. At this point, I'm counting down the days to my due date because I'm so sick of being pregnant! 3. noun The act of counting backwards from any number to zero in preparation for something (which typically happens when the countdown reaches zero). When used as a noun, the phrase is usually written as one word. At the end of the countdown, everyone shouted, "Happy New Year!" See also: count, down Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. count down to count backwards to an event that will start when zero is reached. The project manager was counting down—getting ready for the launch of the rocket. I can still hear the captain counting down: "Five, four, three, two, one, zero, blast off!" See also: count, down McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. count down 1. Count backward from any number to zero to indicate time, as in The final seconds before take off were counted down: 10, 9, 8, etc. The down in this term refers to the decreasing size of the numbers. This usage originated in connection with the firing of missiles and spacecraft and has since been broadened to such events as the roll call of states at a political convention. [c. 1950] 2. Make final preparations for an event, as in Hong Kong was counting down to the day when it became part of mainland China. This usage is derived from def. 1. [Late 1950s] See also: count, down The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. count down v. 1. To count backward to zero, especially when leading to the start of an important event: With only ten seconds until midnight, the crowd counted down to the beginning of the new year. 2. To anticipate something eagerly: The children are counting down to their summer vacation. See also: count, down The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs. See also: fix on fix on (someone or something) cross over biff cook out going to fall out fallout go on (doing something) Go on! References in periodicals archive More than 44,000 listeners cast their votes in the poll for Classic FM which will count down the top 30 from noon today. Rings score lords it over other movie soundtracks Then they count down the days until the old person dies so they can re-sell the house at a profit. Home profit; Yourview AS we count down these last couple of days to Christmas we look at what our favourite gay venues in the city have on offer this week. Christmas Eve sees all your favourite bars and clubs opening their doors to count down the hours. Whats On: Gay Life - Get set for these seasonal shindigs Presenter Jane Jones will count down the top 30 on Christmas Day. O Holy Night Crowds gathered in many of the city's squares to count down to midnight and welcome in 1978. Archive The two runners up were: Anne Dyas - Tea at the Museum and Mark Paffard - DenialThe 17 other other anthology contributors to be published in Birmingham Nouveau in November are: Simon Broadley - Checking Out; Luke Brown - Windows; WE Davies - City Ancient and Modern; Pauline E Dungate - Count Down to Carnival; David Hart - I Was Told; Al Hutchings -At the Back of the Carriage; Nick Jones - The Tears of Trevor; Idrees Kayani - King of the Baltis; Sidura Ludwig - Finding Rifka; Richard Lutz - Big T and the Girl with Blue Black Hair; Laura McFall - Market Fashion Ava Ming - Lena; John Mulcreevey - Face Like a Feyenoord Shirt; Julie Nugent - The Visit; Audrey Sandbrook - Mr Attwood; Jan Stevens - Changing City; Rachel Taylor - Extinct Culture: Comeptition winners A Giant lit-up sign on the Eiffel Tower is to count down the 1,000 days to the millenium. GRAB AN EIFFEL! These watches will prepare you for the big hour and enable you to count down the number of days, hours, minutes and seconds which bring us all towards the year 2000. Competitions: Wind up for the millennium countdown Offshore Rig Count down 2 rigs to 18 and down 4 rigs year-over-year. Baker Hughes reports U.S. rig count down 7 to 1,052 rigs * 48% of parents plan to count down the last 10 seconds of 2017 with their kids by 9 p.m. Where Best to Celebrate
随便看	downlow down memory lane down nose down on down (one's) nose down on his uppers down on one knee down on (one's) luck down on one's luck down on (one's) uppers down on your luck down pat Downs down South down the down the chute down the drain down the hatch Down the hatch! down the line down the little red lane down the pan down the pike down there down the road