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downshift

American  
[doun-shift] / ˈdaʊnˌʃɪft /

verb (used without object)

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

  2. to become less active; slow down.

    The economy seems to be downshifting.

verb (used with object)

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

noun

  1. an act or instance of downshifting.

Etymology

Origin of downshift

First recorded in 1950–55; down 1 + shift

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.

Downshift: Why this was a bad week for Elon Musk’s Tesla.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2017

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.