bring down
Britishverb
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to cause to fall
the fighter aircraft brought the enemy down
the ministers agreed to bring down the price of oil
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slang (usually passive) to cause to be elated and then suddenly depressed, as from using drugs
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Cause to fall, collapse, or die. For example, The pilot won a medal for bringing down enemy aircraft , or The bill's defeat was sure to bring down the party . [c. 1300]
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Cause a punishment or judgment, as in The bomb threats brought down the public's wrath on the terrorists [Mid-1600s]
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Reduce, lower, as in I won't buy it till they bring down the price , or He refused to bring himself down to their level . This usage may be literal, as in the first example, or figurative, as in the second. [First half of 1500s]
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Pinto is the Portuguese computer hacker who tried to bring down City.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
Xcimer’s fusion design would build on the national lab’s work and try to bring down costs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026
European cities will gain more leeway to curb short-term rentals such as Airbnb under plans to bring down housing costs in tourism hotspots that the European Union is to unveil Wednesday.
From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026
A spokesperson said the government was supporting schools to take further steps to bring down the cost of individual items.
From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026
I bring down speakers and play upbeat music while we work.
From "A Soft Place to Land" by Janae Marks
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.