downhill
UK: ˌdaʊnˈhɪl | US: ˌdaʊnˈhɪl
adj. sloping downward
adv. toward the bottom of a hill
n. a downward slope or descent
vi. to go or move downward
The word "downhill" combines "down," derived from Old English dūne (from dūn, meaning "hill"), and "hill," from Old English hyll. Originally, "down" itself meant "hill" (as seen in place names like "Southdown"), but over time, it shifted to mean "lower direction." The compound "downhill" emerged in Middle English to describe literal or figurative downward movement, retaining the core idea of descent from a higher to a lower point.
The bike race became easier once we went downhill.
His performance has been going downhill since the injury.
Skiing downhill requires good balance and control.
The path slopes steeply downhill toward the river.
After the peak, the company's profits started moving downhill.