Skip to Content
English Club : Learn English : Vocabulary
Vocabulary : Idioms : G : going down

< Previous | Next >

going down American English Informal

Meaning: If you know what's going down, you know what's happening in a situation.

For example:

  • If you need someone who knows what's going down in the world of youth fashion, you need a young person, not a middle-aged executive.

  • A young guy ran over and said, "You know what's going down? I heard some gunshots and just now I saw these guys running from over that way."

Origin: This idiom originated among urban youth in the larger U.S. cities, and is usually pronounced "goin' down". It's very informal and should not be used when speaking to older or more senior people, such as one's parents, teachers or employers.

Variety: This idiom is typically used in American English but may be used in other varieties of English too.

Quick Quiz:

As soon as I know what's going down, I'll
  1. let you know
  2. make it up
  3. see it through

Discuss: going down

Idiom of the Day

This entry is in the following categories: