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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-doun] / 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

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

When Reagan's chief arms-control negotiator, Edward Rowny, protested to Cohen that build-down would only complicate matters in Geneva, the Senator asked: "How about no MX?"

From Time Magazine Archive

The build-down approach represents a radical departure in the SALT-START process, and it is likely to upset their yearning for consistency.

From Time Magazine Archive

Furthermore, in October 1983, we incorporated build-down into the U.S. approach and offered to explore trade-offs between the areas of U.S. and Soviet advantage.

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

Terry kept the old man busy telling him of the improvements that they were contemplating making on the ranch and of the residence that they would build down by the big mineral spring.

From Fred Fearnot's New Ranch and How He and Terry Managed It by Hal Standish

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