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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

Besides letting huge clouds of steam out of the overall economy, the military build-down will take a huge personal toll on displaced workers.

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

Asked by the Soviets whether the build-down proposal was just posturing by the President to win reelection, Democrat Biden stated, "I'm telling you, this is a good deal."

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

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

But that ain't the way they build down in Mulberry Bend.

From Shorty McCabe by F. Vaux (Francis Vaux) Wilson