showing skill and sensitivity in dealing with people; "by diplomatic conduct he avoided antagonizing anyone"; "a tactful way of correcting someone"; "the agency got the kid-glove treatment on Capitol Hill"
having or showing a sense of what is fitting and considerate in dealing with others; "she was tactful enough not to shatter his illusion"; "a tactful remark eased her embarrassment"
continue to live; endure or last; "We went without water and food for 3 days"; "These superstitions survive in the backwaters of America"; "The race car driver lived through several very serious accidents"; "how long can a person last without food and water?"
continue in existence after (an adversity, etc.); "He survived the cancer against all odds"
lacking in insight or discernment; "too obtuse to grasp the implications of his behavior"; "a purblind oligarchy that flatly refused to see that history was condemning it to the dustbin"- Jasper Griffin
preserve with sugar; "Mom always conserved the strawberries we grew in the backyard"
use cautiously and frugally; "I try to economize my spare time"; "conserve your energy for the ascent to the summit"
keep in safety and protect from harm, decay, loss, or destruction; "We preserve these archeological findings"; "The old lady could not keep up the building"; "children must be taught to conserve our national heritage"; "The museum curator conserved the ancient manuscripts"
keep constant through physical or chemical reactions or evolutionary change; "Energy is conserved in this process"
moving quickly and lightly; "sleek and agile as a gymnast"; "as nimble as a deer"; "nimble fingers"; "quick of foot"; "the old dog was so spry it was halfway up the stairs before we could stop it"
support oneself; "he could barely exist on such a low wage"; "Can you live on $2000 a month in New York City?"; "Many people in the world have to subsist on $1 a day"
keep in one's mind; "I cannot retain so much information"
secure and keep for possible future use or application; "The landlord retained the security deposit"; "I reserve the right to disagree"
allow to remain in a place or position; "We cannot continue several servants any longer"; "She retains a lawyer"; "The family's fortune waned and they could not keep their household staff"; "Our grant has run out and we cannot keep you on"; "We kept the work going as long as we could"
hold within; "This soil retains water"; "I retain this drug for a long time"
(American football) a complete play to advance the football; "you have four downs to gain ten yards"
soft fine feathers
fine soft dense hair (as the fine short hair of cattle or deer or the wool of sheep or the undercoat of certain dogs)
(usually plural) a rolling treeless highland with little soil
English physician who first described Down's syndrome (1828-1896)
not functioning (temporarily or permanently); "we can't work because the computer is down"
shut; "the shades were down"
understood perfectly; "had his algebra problems down"
being or moving lower in position or less in some value; "lay face down"; "the moon is down"; "our team is down by a run"; "down by a pawn"; "the stock market is down today"
spatially or metaphorically from a higher to a lower level or position; "don't fall down"; "rode the lift up and skied down"; "prices plunged downward"
away from a more central or a more northerly place; "was sent down to work at the regional office"; "worked down on the farm"; "came down for the wedding"; "flew down to Florida"
paid in cash at time of purchase; "put ten dollars down on the necklace"
in an inactive or inoperative state; "the factory went down during the strike"; "the computer went down again"
to a lower intensity; "he slowly phased down the light until the stage was completely black"
from an earlier time; "the story was passed down from father to son"
bring down or defeat (an opponent)
cause to come or go down; "The policeman downed the heavily armed suspect"; "The mugger knocked down the old lady after she refused to hand over her wallet"
shoot at and force to come down; "the enemy landed several of our aircraft"
defeat by more skillful maneuvering; "The English troops outmaneuvered the Germans"; "My new supervisor knows how to outmaneuver the boss in most situations"