\De*scend"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Descended}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Descending}.] [F. descendre, L. descendere,
descensum; de- + scandere to climb. See {Scan}.]
1. To pass from a higher to a lower place; to move downwards;
   to come or go down in any way, as by falling, flowing,
   walking, etc.; to plunge; to fall; to incline downward; --
   the opposite of ascend.
         The rain descended, and the floods came. --Matt.
                                               vii. 25.
         We will here descend to matters of later date.
                                               --Fuller.
2. To enter mentally; to retire. [Poetic]
         [He] with holiest meditations fed, Into himself
         descended.                            --Milton.
3. To make an attack, or incursion, as if from a vantage
   ground; to come suddenly and with violence; -- with on or
   upon.
         And on the suitors let thy wrath descend. --Pope.
4. To come down to a lower, less fortunate, humbler, less
   virtuous, or worse, state or station; to lower or abase
   one's self; as, he descended from his high estate.
5. To pass from the more general or important to the
   particular or less important matters to be considered.
6. To come down, as from a source, original, or stock; to be
   derived; to proceed by generation or by transmission; to
   fall or pass by inheritance; as, the beggar may descend
   from a prince; a crown descends to the heir.
7. (Anat.) To move toward the south, or to the southward.
8. (Mus.) To fall in pitch; to pass from a higher to a lower
   tone.

\De*scend"\, v. t.
To go down upon or along; to pass from a higher to a lower
part of; as, they descended the river in boats; to descend a
ladder.
      But never tears his cheek descended.     --Byron.