on the downhill side—
1. older than the age specified:
- I backpacked in the Grand Canyon with my fiance, Paul. Not bad for someone who is on the downhill side of fourty.
2. said of a bad situation which may be getting progressively worse:
- Evangelical Christians agree—America is on the downhill side of decadence.
on the downhill slide— = on the downhill slide 2:
- Workers have been on a downhill slide for years, losing wages, losing jobs, losing respect, and in all too many cases, losing hope.