1610s, from adverbial phrase up and down (c. 1200); see up (adv.) + down (adv.).

c. 1300, "droop, descend," from go (v.) + down (adv.). Meaning "decline, fail" is from 1590s. Sense of "to happen" is from 1946, American-English slang. Go down on "perform oral sex on" is from 1916.

to win something hands down (1855) is from horse racing, from a jockey's gesture of letting the reins go loose in an easy victory.

The Two Thousand Guinea Stakes was not the best contested one that it has been our fortune to assist at. ... [T]hey were won by Meteor, with Scott for his rider; who went by the post with his hands down, the easiest of all easy half-lengths. Wiseacre certainly did the best in his power to spoil his position, and Misdeal was at one time a little vexatious. [The Sportsman, report from April 26, 1840]

Ancient Greek had akoniti "without a struggle, easily," from akonitos (adj.), literally "without dust," specifically "without the dust of the arena."

1826, from the verbal phrase; see hand (v.). As a noun from 1874.

"to furnish with battens," 1775, from batten (n.) "strip of wood, bar nailed across parallel boards to hold them together." The nautical phrase batten down "cover (hatches) with tarpaulin and nail it down with battens to make it secure" is recorded from 1821. Related: Battened; battening.

also toe-nail, 1690s, from toe (n.) + nail (n.).

early 15c., riveten, "to fasten (something) with rivets," also "to fasten (a nail or bolt) by hammering down the rivet," from rivet (n.). Figurative meaning "to command the attention" is from c. 1600 (For I mine eyes will rivet to his Face - "Hamlet"). Related: Riveted; riveting.

"pertaining to a nail or claw," 1834, from Latin unguis "a claw, nail of the finger or toe;" cognate with Greek onyx, Old English nægel, Old Norse nagl "nail;" see nail (n.).

"inflammation beside a fingernail," 1590s, from Latin, from Greek paronykhia "whitlow," from para- "beside" (see para- (1)) + onyx "nail" (see nail (n.)) + abstract noun ending -ia.

also door-nail, "large-headed nail used for studding batten doors for strength or ornament," late 14c.; see door (n.) + nail (n.). The figurative expression dead as a doornail is attested as early as the word itself.

But ich haue bote of mi bale bi a schort time, I am ded as dore-nail. ("William of Palerne," c. 1375).

Compare key-cold "lifeless, inanimate, devoid of heat, cold as a metal key" (1510s). Also in Middle English as a symbol of muteness (domb as a dor nail, c. 1400).