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Wikipedia describes the English idiom "down to earth" as meaning "practical and realistic", implying a stable footing for one's behaviour. It's not difficult to imagine how the phrase came about if you think of it as having the same origins as "keep your feet on the ground". If you jump up in the air, it's not a stable position... gravity rather gets in the way and brings you... "down to earth" Think of all the phrases meaning having or finding stability which are rooted in the same idea (actually even the word "rooted" implies the same thing): "He's a down to earth kinda guy", "Keeping your feet on the ground", "Coming back down to earth", "That idea is grounded in reality (the emphasis being on grounded here)" ...or those which imply instability by being away from planet Earth "That's all up in the air", "Head in the clouds" etc.

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