descend

be descended from (someone or something)

To be related a particular ancestor or bloodline. Is it true? Is she really descended from Benjamin Franklin?
See also: descend

descend from (someone or something)

1. Literally, to move from a higher point to a lower one. The bride looked simply gorgeous as she descended from the balcony in her flowing gown.
2. To originate from a particular ancestor or source. I was shocked to learn that I descended from key figures in the American Revolution.
See also: descend

descend into (something)

To move down into something. The fireman descended into the sewers to save the kitten.
See also: descend

descend on (something)

1. Literally, to drop onto someone or something. No one was too pleased when rain began to descend on our picnic.
2. By extension, to converge at a particular place or thing, often in great numbers. The kids descended on the birthday cake as soon as I set it down. People have descended on our town to attend that big software conference.
See also: descend, on

descend to (something)

1. Literally, to move from a higher point to a lower one. If our plane is descending to the runway already, we might make our connecting flight after all.
2. To condescend to do something. Now that Billy's famous, I doubt he'll descend to call his own mother.
See also: descend

descend upon (something)

1. Literally, to drop onto someone or something. No one was too pleased when rain began to descend upon our picnic. Bits of debris from the explosion descended upon the town below.
2. By extension, to converge at a particular place or thing, often in great numbers. The kids descended upon the birthday cake like locusts. Thousands of people descend upon the town each year to attend the video game conference.
See also: descend, upon

the red mist descends

To fall into a state of extreme anger, excitement, or competitive arousal, such as might cloud one's judgment or senses. Primarily heard in UK. Their striker isn't the most consistent player on the pitch, but once the red mist descends, you had better get out of his way. I'm not sure what happened. I was at the pub having a pint, and then someone insulted me, and I guess the red mist must have descended, because, the next thing I knew, I was being dragged away with bloodied knuckles.
See also: descend, mist, red
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

descend from someone

or some group [for a living creature] to come from a particular set of ancestors. I descend from a large family of Dutch traders. Wally is descended from Daniel Boone.
See also: descend

descend from something

to move down from something. The bird descended from the top of the tree to a lower branch. Take care when you descend from the ladder.
See also: descend

descend into something

to go down into something. The butler descended into the cellar for another bottle of wine. Fred descended into the canyon on an organized tour.
See also: descend

descend to something

 
1. . Lit. to go down to something. I must descend to the lower level to greet the guests. Gerald descended to the front door to see who was there.
2. Fig. to condescend to do something; to stoop to doing something; to lower oneself to do something bad. I refuse to descend to the performance of such menial duties. I will not descend to a life of crime.
See also: descend

descend (up)on someone or something

 
1. . Lit. [for something] to come down or fall upon someone or something. Flakes of fluffy snow descended upon the gentle slopes.
2. . Fig. [for people] to arrive or come to someone or something in great numbers. The petitioners descended upon the mayor's office in droves.
See also: descend, on
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

be descended from

To be related to (an ancestor) by genetic descent from an individual or individuals in a previous generation: She claims to be descended from European royalty.
See also: descend
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition.
See also:
  • be descended from
  • be descended from (someone or something)
  • descend from
  • descend from (someone or something)
  • descend into
  • descend into (something)
  • descend on
  • descend on (something)
  • descend upon (something)
  • come down
References in periodicals archive
10 Descend into the field then ascend to the far-right corner, passing through a timber kissing gate.
Walk OF THE WEEK; Going out v Staying in; Making the most of your free time; Ultimate home comforts; WINKWORTH TO OAKHURST, SURREY
It also said that the pilot of Flight 907 continued to descend because he was following Mr.
Japanese editorial excerpts -2-
The six people were injured when the aircraft descended after its collision warning system triggered, British Airways spokesman Richard Goodfellow said on 21 October.
Crew and passengers of BA flight receive minor injuries after controlled descent - report
In the prayer for the first day of Rajab, (10) God is described as the Limiter--the Setter of the limits of all things (ddu kulli madd), meaning that it is God who reveals and causes all things to descend in particular measures and limits and the decree of all things is in His command.
Descent and manifestation
To achieve this, a series of parachutes will help the probe to stabilize, and then descend slowly through the atmosphere.
One bizarre trip: a spacecraft will soon plunge into Titan, one of the strangest moons in the solar system. What will it find?
A curious silence has descended over the back seat.
Sexy beast: getting to know the two sides of the tough-as-nails, smooth-as-silk Range Rover
New President Carlos Mesa, a respected historian descended from European elites, has an almost impossible job of simultaneously satisfying indigenous leaders and foreign investors.
Down from the mountain: Bolivia's new leader can make indigenous people happy, or investors, but probably not both
With squats, slowly descend, counting 5 seconds until parallel.
Vary your strength training with old-time muscle building
I was the lead at 8,000 feet and was preparing to descend to join course rules home from the training area.
The missed midair
A Pandora's box may have been opened recently when Napster founder Shawn Fanning called on "free" music fans to descend on our nation's capital and catch the attention of legislators holding hearings on online copyright issues.
Fanning the Flames
The latter, which descend from Lucian, do not pretend to be recording a conversation which has really taken place but present themselves as a production of fantasy in which the play of ideas between the interlocutors is more significant than their historical verisimilitude.
The Renaissance Dialogue: Literary Dialogue in its Social and Political Contexts, Castiglione to Galileo
At the second site, one used the ramp or steps to descend to a department store on a lower level; the entrances at both the top and bottom were located differently and the proximity of other stores also differed.
Ramps not steps: a study of accessibility preferences
Summary: Beijing [China], July 13 (ANI): A state-owned Chinese airline, Air China, flight had to descend on Tuesday after a co-pilot smoked an electronic cigarette mid-air.
Pilot's smoking mid-air forces flight descend
When an air traffic controller needs you to climb or descend quickly, they pepper their phraseology with "immediately," "expedite," or "no delay." Is there a counterpart, for less stressful situations?
Lettin' you down easy: on those occasions when ATC isn't saturated with traffic, controllers can let you hang back and take your sweet time getting up or down