As a verb, it means to copy data or files from a central computer or the internet to your own device. As a noun, it refers to the data or file that has been transferred in this way.
Formed in English from 'down' + 'load', emerging in the mid-20th century with computing. 'Down' is used metaphorically to suggest data moving from a central 'higher' system to a local 'lower' one. It pairs with 'upload', where the direction is reversed.
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