
noun
- Football. an act or instance of scoring six points by being in possession of the ball on or behind the opponent’s goal line.
- Rugby. the act of a player who touches the ball on or to the ground inside his own in-goal.
- the act or the moment of landing: the aircraft’s touchdown.
noun
- the moment at which a landing aircraft or spacecraft comes into contact with the landing surface
- rugby the act of placing or touching the ball on the ground behind the goal line, as in scoring a try
- American football a scoring play worth six points, achieved by being in possession of the ball in the opposing team’s end zoneAbbreviation: TD See also field goal (def. 2)
verb touch down (intr, adverb)
- (of a space vehicle, aircraft, etc) to land
- rugby to place the ball behind the goal line, as when scoring a try
- informal to pause during a busy schedule in order to catch up, reorganize, or rest
1864, from touch (v.) + down (adv.). Originally in rugby, where the ball is literally touched down on the other side of the goal.