land down

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

To intercept (a missile) and bring it to ground before it reaches its target.

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

According to him [scil. Ilya Tumanov], the airfield’s air defense systems managed to intercept only seven of the missiles, emphasizing that this term refers only to an attempt to land them down, not the interception of the missiles.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “land down” mean?

To intercept (a missile) and bring it to ground before it reaches its target.

Is “land down” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.