Descend

Descend is a verb meaning to move downward from a higher to a lower position. It describes physical movement, such as a climber descending a slope or an airplane descending toward a runway, and it can be used transitively as well, as in descend the stairs or descend a steep hill. It is also used figuratively, for example when prices descend or crowds descend on a location.

Etymology: Descend derives from Old French descendre, from Latin descendere, formed from de- "down" and scandere "to climb." The related noun descendant denotes a person who comes down from an ancestor; descent is the corresponding noun form.

Usage: In geography and everyday language, descend refers to downward movement in space. In genealogy, to descend from an ancestor means to be a descendant. In data organization, descending describes ordering values from greatest to least, as in a descending sort. In idiomatic use, a debate or mood may descend into chaos, illustrating the broader figurative sense of moving from a state to a lower or more degraded one.