reduce

[ri-doos, -dyoos]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR reduce ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), re·duced, re·duc·ing.

to bring down to a smaller extent, size, amount, number, etc.: to reduce one's weight by 10 pounds.

to lower in degree, intensity, etc.: to reduce the speed of a car.

to bring down to a lower rank, dignity, etc.: a sergeant reduced to a corporal

to treat analytically, as a complex idea.

to lower in price.

to bring to a certain state, condition, arrangement, etc.: to reduce glass to powder.

to bring under control or authority.

Cookery. to evaporate water from (a sauce, soup, or other liquid), usually by boiling.

Photography. to lessen the density of (an exposed negative).

to adjust or correct by making allowances, as an astronomical observation.

Mathematics. to change the denomination or form, but not the value, of (a fraction, polynomial, etc.).

Chemistry.

to add electrons to.
to deoxidize.
to add hydrogen to.
to change (a compound) so that the valence of the positive element is lower.

Chemistry, Metallurgy. to bring into the metallic state by separating from nonmetallic constituents.

to thin or dilute: to reduce paint with oil or turpentine.

to lower the alcoholic concentration of (spirits) by diluting with water.

Surgery. to restore to the normal place, relation, or condition, as a fractured bone.

Phonetics. to modify the quality of (a speech sound) to one of lesser distinctiveness, especially to pronounce (an unstressed vowel) as (ə) or another centralized vowel, as in the unstressed syllables of medicinal.

verb (used without object), re·duced, re·duc·ing.

to become reduced.

to become lessened, especially in weight.

to be turned into or made to equal something: All our difficulties reduce to financial problems.

Cell Biology. to undergo meiosis.

Origin of reduce

1325–75; Middle English reducen to lead back < Latin redūcere to lead back, bring back, equivalent to re- re- + dūcere to lead

Related formsan·ti·re·duc·ing, adjective, nounnon·re·duc·ing, adjectiveo·ver·re·duce, verb, o·ver·re·duced, o·ver·re·duc·ing.

Synonyms for reduce

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR reduce ON THESAURUS.COM

1. diminish, decrease, shorten, abridge, curtail, contract, retrench. 1, 2. lessen, attenuate, abate. 3. degrade, demote, humble. 7. subdue, subjugate, conquer, subject, vanquish, overcome, overpower.

Antonyms for reduce

1. increase. 3. elevate, exalt.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for reduce

Contemporary Examples of reduce

Having a criminal record can reduce the likelihood of getting a callback or job offer by 50 percent.
His First Day Out Of Jail After 40 Years: Adjusting To Life Outside
Justin Rohrlich
January 3, 2015
We kind of reduce things to the lowest common denominator, in some ways for good and in some ways not for good.
Daphne Merkin on Lena Dunham, Book Criticism, and Self-Examination
Mindy Farabee
December 26, 2014
Like background check laws across the country, it will help keep guns out of dangerous hands, reduce gun crime, and save lives.
The NRA’s Twisted List for Santa
John Feinblatt
December 23, 2014
The studio took him at his word and jumped at the chance to close down, or at least reduce, his costly operation.
Alfred Hitchcock’s Fade to Black: The Great Director’s Final Days
David Freeman
December 13, 2014
But mayors generally favor ways to reduce political heat with independent probes.
Dear GOP: Fix the Damn Justice System!
Jonathan Alter
December 7, 2014

Historical Examples of reduce

My plan was to reduce each man's ration of flower from 7lbs.
Journal of an Expedition into the Interior of Tropical Australia
Thomas Mitchell
"While you're reducing the size of it you might also reduce the pain in it," said Dick.
The Rock of Chickamauga
Joseph A. Altsheler
The action of the soul is to reduce fear to simple prudence.
Initiation into Philosophy
Emile Faguet
Then add three tablespoonsful of vinegar and reduce the sauce.
The Cook's Decameron: A Study in Taste:
Mrs. W. G. Waters
Skim the stock and reduce it to a glaze to cover the sweetbreads.
The Cook's Decameron: A Study in Taste:
Mrs. W. G. Waters

British Dictionary definitions for reduce

reduce

verb (mainly tr)

(also intr) to make or become smaller in size, number, extent, degree, intensity, etc

to bring into a certain state, condition, etcto reduce a forest to ashes; to reduce someone to despair

(also intr) to make or become slimmer; lose or cause to lose excess weight

to impoverish (esp in the phrase in reduced circumstances)

to bring into a state of submission to one's authority; subjugatethe whole country was reduced after three months

to bring down the price of (a commodity)the shirt was reduced in the sale

to lower the rank or status of; demotehe was reduced from corporal to private; reduced to the ranks

to set out systematically as an aid to understanding; simplifyhis theories have been reduced in a popular treatise

maths to modify or simplify the form of (an expression or equation), esp by substitution of one term by another

cookery to make (a sauce, stock, etc) more concentrated by boiling away some of the water in it

to thin out (paint) by adding oil, turpentine, etc; dilute

(also intr) chem

to undergo or cause to undergo a chemical reaction with hydrogen or formation of a hydride
to lose or cause to lose oxygen atoms
to undergo or cause to undergo an increase in the number of electronsCompare oxidize

photog to lessen the density of (a negative or print) by converting some of the blackened silver in the emulsion to soluble silver compounds by an oxidation process using a photographic reducer

surgery to manipulate or reposition (a broken or displaced bone, organ, or part) back to its normal site

(also intr) biology to undergo or cause to undergo meiosis

Derived Formsreducible, adjectivereducibility, nounreducibly, adverb

Word Origin for reduce

C14: from Latin redūcere to bring back, from re- + dūcere to lead

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for reduce

late 14c., "bring back," from Old French reducer (14c.), from Latin reducere "lead back, bring back," figuratively "restore, replace," from re- "back" (see re-) + ducere "bring, lead" (see duke (n.)). Meaning "bring to an inferior condition" is 1570s; that of "bring to a lower rank" is 1640s (military reduce to ranks is from 1802); that of "subdue by force of arms" is 1610s. Sense of "to lower, diminish, lessen" is from 1787. Related: Reduced; reducing.

Medicine definitions for reduce

reduce

[rĭ-dōōs′]

v.

To bring down, as in extent, amount, or degree; diminish.

To lose weight, as by dieting.

To restore a fractured or displaced body part to a normal condition or position.

To decrease the valence of an atom by adding electrons.

To remove oxygen from a compound.

To add hydrogen to a compound.

Related formsre•duc′i•ble adj.

reduce

verb (used with object), re·duced, re·duc·ing.

verb (used without object), re·duced, re·duc·ing.

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Origin of reduce

Synonyms for reduce

Antonyms for reduce

Examples from the Web for reduce

Contemporary Examples of reduce

Historical Examples of reduce

reduce

verb (mainly tr)

Word Origin for reduce

reduce

v.