1 B2 idiomatic informal
To have formed the opinion or impression that someone is a particular type of person.
"I had her down as quite reserved, but she turned out to be the life of the party."
inseparable
have down as
B2 informal inseparable transitive
To consider or mentally classify someone as being a particular type of person.
In plain English
To think of someone as being a certain kind of person, often based on an impression.
What does "have down as" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
To categorize or label someone as something, sometimes incorrectly or prematurely.
"Don't have me down as one of those people who can't take criticism — I genuinely want feedback."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To have someone recorded or noted as something — as if written down in a file.
Actually means
To think of someone as being a certain kind of person, often based on an impression.
Usage tip
Common in British English. Implies that the speaker has formed a firm opinion or categorization of someone, sometimes prematurely. Often used when an expectation turns out to be wrong ('I had him down as shy, but he was hilarious'). Always followed by 'as' and an adjective or noun phrase.
Words that pair with "have down as"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
shy troublemaker expert professional loner genius
How to conjugate "have down as"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
have down as
I/you/we/they
3rd person
has down as
he/she/it
Past simple
had down as
yesterday
Past participle
had down as
have + pp
-ing form
having down as
continuous
Hear "have down as" in the wild
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