On top of the all the words in English, and their strange spellings, there are all the phrases Americans use informally. These casual sayings are called idioms, and learning them is important for fully understanding ‘American’ English. Luckily, we’re here to help you learn some common idioms.

Today’s list of idioms all use the word “down”.

Down for the count: Not able to continue; like a fighter who has fallen and cannot get up.

Down in the dumps: Upset; bothered; feeling sad, low or depressed.

Down on one’s luck: Suffering because a lot of bad things are happening.

Down the drain: Disappeared and gone; lost; wasted.

Down the hatch: An expression said when drinking something, especially when swallowed all at once.

Down to earth: Realistic; grounded; practical.

Down to the wire: Until the last possible moment.

Get down to business: Begin seriously doing what you need to do.

Hands down: Easily; decisively; without question.

Lay down the law: Make something very clear to someone in a very stern manner.

Look down on: Disapprove of someone or something.

Nail down: Discover or establish something conclusively; make certain or final.

Double down: Significantly increase or strengthen effort or resolve toward some goal or action.