bring down

British  

verb

1. to cause to fall

   the fighter aircraft brought the enemy down

   the ministers agreed to bring down the price of oil

2. slang (usually passive) to cause to be elated and then suddenly depressed, as from using drugs

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bring down Idioms  

1. Cause to fall, collapse, or die. For example, The pilot won a medal for bringing down enemy aircraft , or The bill's defeat was sure to bring down the party . [c. 1300]

2. Cause a punishment or judgment, as in The bomb threats brought down the public's wrath on the terrorists [Mid-1600s]

3. Reduce, lower, as in I won't buy it till they bring down the price , or He refused to bring himself down to their level . This usage may be literal, as in the first example, or figurative, as in the second. [First half of 1500s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bring down

Like many European auto peers, Volvo has been trying to bring down costs to stay competitive amid U.S. tariffs and pricing pressure due to the rise of the Chinese car industry.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

"It came to power very much on a programme to bring down crime and energy prices. And crime and petrol prices have come down, so those issues no longer top voters' agendas," Teorell said.

From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026

It said it was supporting schools with new guidance to take steps to bring down costs for individual items, while "keeping more money in the pockets of hardworking families".

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

Similar to other hyperscalers, Microsoft is investing in custom silicon to bring down inference costs.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026

And, most treacherous of all, they still had to bring down Hale.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann