downshift

[doun-shift]

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verb (used without object)

to shift an automotive transmission or vehicle into a lower gear.
to become less active; slow down: The economy seems to be downshifting.

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verb (used with object)

to shift (an automotive transmission or vehicle) into a lower gear.

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noun

an act or instance of downshifting.

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Origin of downshift

First recorded in 1950–55; down¹ + shift

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for downshift

Contemporary Examples

On schools: keep innovating, increase accountability, but downshift the emphasis on test scores.
Jack Hidary Waits to Make His Push in New York City Mayoral Race
David Freedlander
August 14, 2013
Howard Kurtz on the downshift—and how Cain is defying political gravity.
'Tired' Cain Campaign Slows Down
Howard Kurtz
October 28, 2011
And this downshift in career ambitions is just as true for the top dogs among us.
I Just Had a Baby, I'll Call You Back
Katty Kay, Claire Shipman
June 2, 2009