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• build-down
  build-down

  noun

  a process for reducing armaments, especially the number of nuclear weapons held by the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., by eliminating several older weapons for each new one that is deployed.
• build down
  build down

  Reduce, diminish, as in Owing to increased vigilance, traffic in narcotics is finally building down. This term, the antonym of build up, came into use about 1980 with regard to reducing the stockpile of nuclear weapons and soon was applied more widely.

build-down

American  

[bild-daun] / ˈbɪldˌdaʊn /

noun

1. a process for reducing armaments, especially the number of nuclear weapons held by the U.S. and the U.S.S.R., by eliminating several older weapons for each new one that is deployed.

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build down Idioms  

1. Reduce, diminish, as in Owing to increased vigilance, traffic in narcotics is finally building down. This term, the antonym of build up, came into use about 1980 with regard to reducing the stockpile of nuclear weapons and soon was applied more widely.

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Etymology

Origin of build-down

First recorded in 1980–85; by analogy with buildup

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

build-down build down

If there is such a thing as the opposite to a buildup, the vice presidential debate last night had received a build-down.

From Salon ● Oct. 6, 2016

Proponents suggested that the build-down be stretched out until 1996 to give both sides time to make orderly reductions as they modern ize weapons systems.

From Time Magazine Archive

"If Ed Rowny came back and said double build-down won't fly, I wouldn't believe him," said Aspin.

From Time Magazine Archive

The build-down idea began to take shape last January when Maine Republican Senator William Cohen wrote an article in the Washington Post suggesting that any new arms-control agreement include the build-down proposal.

From Time Magazine Archive

Last week, after long meetings with Senators at the White House, Reagan endorsed the build-down principle, but said the 2-for-l formula was not flexible enough.

From Time Magazine Archive

City build forward once again, looking to build down the left hand side this time with Chloe Kelly and Leila Ouahabi.

From BBC ● Mar. 6, 2024

"We would shut the build down if we weren't meeting one of the targets" for quality, Closurdo said on the plant floor last week.

From Reuters ● May 1, 2023

“We made a commitment after 9/11 to stay down here. We made a commitment after Sandy destroyed our business to build down here. We’re just too heavily invested here.”

From New York Times ● Dec. 2, 2016

He could build up potential profits for the investing Canaanites and build down potential failure in a manner so satisfying that the Canaanites gladly gave him their money and fondly hung upon him.

From Sally of Missouri by Rose E. (Rose Emmet) Young

If we are to build up to the level of our best opportunities, we must build down to solid foundation on the sense of obligation.

From Modern Eloquence: Vol II, After-Dinner Speeches E-O by Thomas B. (Thomas Brackett) Reed

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