cone down

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "cone down" is not correct in standard written English.
It may be a typographical error or a misinterpretation of another phrase. Example: "Please cone down the area to ensure safety during the construction work."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

From the tip of its 50-foot-high green-tinted cast glass cone down to the embracing arms of its stainless steel-sheathed walls, the new entrance being built at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden on Eastern Parkway seeks to link, like the 12,000 varieties of plants harbored inside, sky, light and earth -- at least symbolically, said its creator, James Polshek of Polshek Partnership Architects.

The New York Times

Second, tomorrow's treatment will start what people in the radiation biz refer to as the "cone down".

Huffington Post

Though pizza cones facilitate the merger of eating and, say, hailing a cab, they impede book-reading — you can't put the cone down.

The New Yorker

A single target volume, without cone down volumes, using a four-field technique (postero-anterior/antero-posterior/laterals) was irradiated.

BMC Gastroenterology

A possible strategy to simplify the network analysis is to project the flux cone down to a lower-dimensional space of interest.

Algorithms for Molecular Biology

Slide the cone down the entire length of the nail until it reaches the blunt end.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

For now, let the cone-down begin.

Huffington Post

After cone-down, the gross disease was treated all the way.

BioMed Research International

The cone-down target volume included the enhancing lesion plus a 1.0 cm margin.

Autophagy

Cone-down was done to exclude the spinal cord after 30.25 Gy.

BioMed Research International

The RTOG favors a cone-down technique, which uses two different volumes.

Chinese Journal of Cancer

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a conical shape moving downward, consider using more precise verbs like "descend", "slide", or "taper" to enhance clarity and avoid misinterpretations.

Common error

Avoid using "cone down" in formal writing. It's often misinterpreted or seen as non-standard. Instead, opt for clearer alternatives like "narrow down" or "focus on" to convey your intended meaning effectively.

Linguistic Context

The grammatical function of "cone down" is ambiguous. It's sometimes used as a phrasal verb in specialized contexts like radiation therapy, but Ludwig AI indicates it is not standard English. Its precise role depends heavily on the sentence structure where it appears.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

40%

Wiki

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "cone down" is often viewed as incorrect in standard English, as noted by Ludwig AI, despite its appearance in a number of contexts. While it finds occasional use in specific domains like radiation therapy to denote focusing or narrowing, it's generally advisable to use more conventional alternatives such as "narrow down" or "focus on" for improved clarity. Its grammatical ambiguity and register limitations further suggest reserving it for specific, informal contexts where its meaning is clear. When in doubt, opting for more established phrasing helps ensure effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

narrow down

This alternative focuses on reducing or restricting something, similar to directing or limiting scope.

focus on

This implies concentrating attention or effort on a specific aspect, akin to directing efforts downward.

descend

This alternative conveys a downward movement, fitting contexts where a physical descent is implied.

taper off

This suggests a gradual reduction, resembling the narrowing shape of a cone.

reduce

This focuses on diminishing or lessening something, similar to decreasing the scope of something conically.

slide down

This implies a smooth downward movement, like an object moving down a cone's surface.

pour down

This describes a liquid flowing downward, applicable in contexts involving pouring or flowing.

bring down

This suggests causing something to fall or decrease, like lowering a cone-shaped object.

lower

This simply means to move something to a lower position, fitting contexts needing a downward action.

pinpoint

This conveys focusing on a particular area, in contexts where one is reducing the scope of a treatment in radiation

FAQs

What does "cone down" mean in radiation therapy?

In radiation therapy, "cone down" refers to narrowing the radiation field to target a specific area more precisely. This is often done after initial broader treatment to minimize damage to surrounding tissues.

What can I say instead of "cone down" when describing focusing attention?

You can use alternatives like "focus on", "narrow down", or "zero in on" depending on the context.

Is "cone down" grammatically correct?

According to Ludwig, "cone down" is not considered correct in standard written English. It may be a typographical error or a misinterpretation of another phrase.

How can I use "slide down" in a sentence?

You can use "slide down" in sentences such as "The water droplets began to slide down the windowpane" or "He watched the climber carefully slide down the rope".