Description:

The modifier 'pete' refers to something that is objectively considered to be low. It can take an object and as a preposition is considered to be a preposition of motion.

The derived term 'peten' means depth in general. As a verb, it is a normal noxaj verb of motion meaning to descend, where the dative indirect object is the thing descended, and as a disintentive pali intransitive verb it means just to sink or descend without a thing descended.

The implication with peten is a controlled or slow motion. The most uncontrolled peten gets is sinking, like a sinking ship, and to get that sense the intensified form ropéten would be more on the mark. It isn't used to mean falling.

The derived form ropéten also has a sense like 'condemnation' in a noun context, or a skurun verb meaning to condemn in a verb context.