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by Liz Walter

My colleague Kate Woodford recently wrote a post about the stock market, which included several synonyms for going up and going down. The context was of prices, values and amounts, but most of these words can be used very literally for objects as well – prices rise but so do hot-air balloons. This post continues the theme with a few more words for going up and down, some of which are used in rather specific contexts.

I’ll start with the verbs ascend and descend. Interestingly, unlike the verbs in Kate’s post, these are not usually used for prices, amounts, etc., though they can be used in other figurative ways. Note also that they are classic examples of somewhat formal verbs for which phrasal verbs, like go up and go down, would usually sound more natural in everyday speech (an issue I wrote about at more length in this post):

They ascended a steep slope and were rewarded with a splendid view.

The path descends to a narrow lane on the right.

We watched the rocket go up into the sky.

I went down to the cellar to get some onions.

The related nouns are ascent and descent. Common collocations (or words that often go together) are steep, rapid and gradual, and again, these words can be used figuratively:

The aircraft began its ascent.

The book describes the family’s gradual descent into poverty.

The verb scale means to climb a steep surface such as the side of a mountain or a wall. It is not used for more gradual slopes such as stairs or hills. The verbs mount and dismount are used for getting up onto or down from things such as horses or bicycles:

The thieves managed to scale the wall at the rear of the property.

He dismounted from his bicycle and walked over to the boy.

Water or other liquids that fall quickly and in large amounts, especially over something such as rocks, can be said to cascade, as can other things that look similar. Something, especially a bird, that moves quickly and usually downward through the air with a smooth movement can be described as swooping:

Water cascaded over the top of the dam.

The owl swooped down from its perch.

Something that sinks either moves down through water or a soft substance or falls to a lower level. A nice way of emphasizing that something falls, drops, or sinks quickly and in a straight line is to add the phrase like a stone:

The boat hit a rock and sank like a stone.

I hope these words are useful, and that your knowledge of English vocabulary continues in an upward direction!