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1downbeat
noun down·beat \ˈdau̇n-ˌbēt\
: the downward movement that a conductor makes to show which note is played with the greatest stress or force
: the first beat of a measure of music
Full Definition of DOWNBEAT
1
: the downward stroke of a conductor indicating the principally accented note of a measure of music; also : the first beat of a measure
2
: a decline in activity or prosperity
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First Known Use of DOWNBEAT
1869
Rhymes with DOWNBEAT
accrete, aesthete, afreet, athlete, backbeat, backseat, backstreet, bedsheet, bench seat, big beat, bolete, box pleat, box seat, break beat, broadsheet, browbeat, buckwheat, bystreet, call sheet, car seat, cheat sheet, clipsheet, cloud street, cold feet, compete, compleat, complete, conceit, concrete, crabmeat, crib sheet, deadbeat, dead heat, dead meat, deceit, defeat, delete, deplete, discreet, discrete, disseat, drop seat, drumbeat, dutch treat, effete, elite, en suite, entreat, escheat, excrete, facete, Fleet Street, fly sheet, forcemeat, foresheet, four-peat, gamete, groundsheet, hard wheat, heartbeat, heat-treat, helpmeet, hoofbeat, hot seat, house seat, ice sheet, ill-treat, jump seat, kick pleat, love seat, mainsheet, Main Street, maltreat, mesquite, mincemeat, mistreat, offbeat, Ossete, petite, pink sheet, preheat, rap sheet, receipt, recheat, red heat, red meat, red wheat, regreet, repeat, replete, retreat, scratch sheet, secrete, side street, slip-sheet, soft wheat, spreadsheet, stand treat, swap meet, sweetmeat, tear sheet, terete, three-peat, through street, time sheet, unmeet, unseat, upbeat, vegete, volkslied, white heat
2downbeat
adjective
: sad or depressing : not happy or hopeful
Full Definition of DOWNBEAT
: pessimistic, gloomy <a downbeat assessment>
See downbeat defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of DOWNBEAT
1950
Related to DOWNBEAT
- Synonyms
- bearish, defeatist, despairing, pessimistic, hopeless
- Antonyms
- hopeful, optimistic, Panglossian, Pollyanna, Pollyannaish (also Polyannish), rose-colored, rosy, upbeat
DOWNBEAT Defined for Kids
downbeat
noun down·beat \ˈdau̇n-ˌbēt\
Definition of DOWNBEAT for Kids
: the first beat of a measure of music
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