Definition of fall down

The phrase "fall down" is a simple expression used to describe when something or someone becomes unable to maintain an upright position and collapses. The etymology of the words "fall" and "down" sheds light on their origins in the English language. The Old English word for "fall" was "falgan," which derived from the Proto-Germanic "fallah" or "felhan." This root also gave rise to other Germanic words, such as Old Frisian "falla," Middle Dutch "valen" (from which we have the modern Dutch "valen"), Old High German "fallan," and Old Norse "falla." The word "fall" likely came into Middle English via Old Norse, where it also carried the meaning of "to defeat, subdue, or overcome." This sense of overcoming paints a vivid image of an object or individual succumbing to gravity's pull. The word "down" comes from the Old English "downa," meaning "little hill." The term once referred to hills or small mounds but evolved to describe the lowermost portion of an object or place, such as the feathers of a bird or the bottom of an elevator shaft. The shift from a topographical usage to one relating to spatial positions happened in the late 13th century, thus giving us the modern connotation of "down" as a directional term meaning "toward the ground." When put together, "fall down" simply describes something or someone losing its balance and falling to a lower point. The phrase is now commonplace in English and is used in a variety of contexts, from the mundane ("The stack of papers fell down") to the metaphorical ("The stock market took a tumble and fell down"). In summary, "fall down" as a phrase in the English language came about as a result of the evolution and adaptation of its constituent words, "fall" and "down." Both words have been utilized in English for centuries, but their specific uses and meanings have changed over time.