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descent Definition

de·scent (dē sent′, di-)

noun

  1. a descending; coming down or going down
  2. lineage; ancestry
  3. one generation (in a specified lineage)
  4. a downward slope
  5. a way down or downward
  6. a sudden attack, raid, or invasion (on or upon)
  7. a decline; fall
  8. a stooping (to an act)
  9. Law transference (of property) to heirs or offspring by inheritance

Etymology: ME descent < OFr descente < descendre: see descend

descent Synonyms

descent

n.

  1. A downward incline

    declivity, slope, drop; see grade 1, inclination 5.

  2. The act of descending

    drop, fall, falling, coming down, sinking, degradation, abasement, droop, cadence, debasement, slump, downfall, drop, lapse, slide, subsiding, declination, swoop, plunge, dip, reduction, precipitation, landslide, tumble, decline; see also fall 1.

    Antonyms rise*, mounting*, growth. *

  3. Lineal relationship

    extraction, origin, lineage; see family 1, relationship.

  4. An invasion

    advance, incursion, assault; see attack 1.

descent Law Definition

n

The transfer of real estate by inheritance, whether by will or intestacy. See also distribution and succession.

descent Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • trace: I have not been able, through the deficiency of records, to trace the descent of these manors satisfactorily.
  • begin: Then the vehicle begins the descent, you feel yourself slipping downwards, falling into the abyss.
  • commence: By 17 miles the die was cast and a far from bashful Basher commenced the long descent toward the finish line.
  • claim: In a 1990 demographic consensus, 3 % of surveyed citizens claimed descent from Dutch settlers.

Adjective modifier

  • steep: Many rock marks used by anglers involve a steep descent down cliffs on tracks more suited to mountain goats.
  • lineal: Their character is due to their lineal descent from Graunt's Observations upon the Bills of Mortality of London.
  • gradual: The final 2 Kilometers of the section are a gradual descent into Galashiels, the major commercial center of the Border region.
  • african-caribbean: A study conducted in London schools in 1995 found that eczema was twice as common in children of African-Caribbean descent than in white children.
  • African: All of the studies were in patients of black African descent.
  • Caribbean: It is, therefore, entirely permissible for an African-Caribbean community organization to restrict its membership solely to those of African Caribbean descent.

Preposition: into

  • madness: You see this whole kind of descent into madness.
  • hell: Their famous descent into hell is relieved by passages of startling humor.
  • anarchy: As it begins to career out of control, the passengers begin a descent into psychological anarchy.

Modifies a noun

gully: Across the descent gully is a large undercut block with an obvious hole in its front face.

Noun used with modifier

  • torchlight: The highlight of the week is the torchlight descent.
  • canoe: Two Center Adventure This adventure combines Med watersports with Ardeche canoe descent More about this course Where is this course available?
  • Viking: Even today the indigenous folk express their independent spirit by claiming direct Viking descent.

Preposition: of

manor: I have not been able, through the deficiency of records, to trace the descent of these manors satisfactorily.

Preposition: from

ancestor: The clans themselves have an equally shadowy history and claim descent from legendary ancestors with whom their connection is based simply on oral tradition.

Preposition: with

modification: Like the heliocentric hypothesis of Copernicus, the hypothesis of descent with modification has long held the status of a scientific fact.