de·scend 
/dɪˈsɛnd/ verb
de·scends; de·scend·ed; de·scend·ing /dɪˈsɛnd/ verb formal 1 : to go down : to go or move from a higher to a lower place or level [no obj] ▪ Wait for the elevator to descend. ▪ The workers descended into the hole. ▪ The submarine was descending. ▪ They descended from [=got down from] the platform. ▪ A herd of goats descended into the valley. ▪ The airplane will descend to a lower altitude soon. [+ obj] ▪ Descending the mountain was even more dangerous than climbing/ascending it. ▪ The children descended the staircase silently. ▪ descend a ladder — opposite ascend 2 [no obj] : to slope or lead downward
▪ The path descends to the river. ▪ The stairs descended into the tunnel. — opposite ascend 3 [no obj] : to go or change to a worse state or condition — + into ▪ After his wife died, he descended [=sank] into a deep depression. ▪ The classroom descended into chaos after the teacher left. 4 [no obj] : to appear or happen like something that comes down from the sky
▪ As night descended, the campers built a fire. — usually + on or upon ▪ The invaders descended on the village without warning. [=the invaders attacked without warning] ▪ In autumn/fall, thousands of students descend on/upon [=visit] our town. ▪ Silence descended upon the crowd. [=the crowd became silent]
▪ The path descends to the river. ▪ The stairs descended into the tunnel. — opposite ascend
▪ As night descended, the campers built a fire. — usually + on or upon ▪ The invaders descended on the village without warning. [=the invaders attacked without warning] ▪ In autumn/fall, thousands of students descend on/upon [=visit] our town. ▪ Silence descended upon the crowd. [=the crowd became silent]
descend from [phrasal verb]
descend from (something or someone) : to have (something or someone in the past) as an origin or source
▪ Recent evidence supports the theory that birds descended from dinosaurs. ▪ The plants descend from a common ancestor. ▪ The tradition descends from [=comes from] an ancient custom. ▪ They claim to be descended from a noble British family.
▪ Recent evidence supports the theory that birds descended from dinosaurs. ▪ The plants descend from a common ancestor. ▪ The tradition descends from [=comes from] an ancient custom. ▪ They claim to be descended from a noble British family.
descend to [phrasal verb] 1 descend to (someone) formal : to become owned by (someone) when the former owner has died
▪ The estate descended to her from her grandparents. [=she inherited the estate from her grandparents] 2 descend to (something) : to lower yourself by doing (something)
▪ She was desperate for money, but she would not descend to [=(more commonly) stoop to] asking her friends for help. — see also descend to someone's level at 1level
▪ The estate descended to her from her grandparents. [=she inherited the estate from her grandparents]
▪ She was desperate for money, but she would not descend to [=(more commonly) stoop to] asking her friends for help. — see also descend to someone's level at 1level
in descending order
◊If people or things are in descending order, they are are arranged in a series that begins with the greatest or largest and ends with the least or smallest.
▪ The states are listed in descending order of population size. ▪ The sale items are arranged in descending order according to price.
▪ The states are listed in descending order of population size. ▪ The sale items are arranged in descending order according to price.
