downstream — in the direction that a river or stream flows
Part of speech: ADVERB
Definition: in the direction that a river or stream flows
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈdaʊnˌstriːm/
Example Sentences
- My phone kept 'streaming down' data so fast, I felt like I was floating downstream in a river of Wi-Fi!
- The fish swam downstream, away from the noisy waterfall.
- Small changes in the design can cause big problems downstream in the manufacturing process.
downstream
ADVERB[/ˈdaʊnˌstriːm/]
in the direction that a river or stream flows
The wooden raft drifts downstream, carrying the fisherman toward the misty village below.
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Downstream is a compound of Old English 'down' (from Proto-Germanic *dunaz, meaning low or downward) and 'stream' (from Proto-Germanic *straumaz, meaning flowing water). The term literally describes the direction of water flow from higher to lower elevations, and has been metaphorically extended to denote subsequent stages in industrial processes or information flow.
Breakdown
down- (downward direction, from Old English dun) + stream (flowing water, from Old English stream). The compound creates a directional preposition indicating movement along the course of a river toward its mouth or, figuratively, toward later stages of a process.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My phone kept 'streaming down' data so fast, I felt like I was floating downstream in a river of Wi-Fi!”
“The fish swam downstream, away from the noisy waterfall.”
“Small changes in the design can cause big problems downstream in the manufacturing process.”
“He threw his homework in the river, joking that his grades were now officially 'downstream'.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Want to master 27,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.