scale down

Idioms  

1. Reduce the size or cost of, as in The owners decided to scale down wages. This expression, along with the related scale up, which refers to an increase, alludes to scale in the sense of “a fixed standard.” [Late 1800s]

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Example Sentences

To entertain themselves, they used notebooks to scribble down funny or vivid things other people brought up in their treatment groups, they said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 15, 2025

There were so many parts of Michelle Yeoh's speech backstage that I wanted to scribble down and save for later.

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2023

Still, it’s one thing for an offensive coordinator to scribble down a great scheme and another for his quarterback to execute it.

From Washington Post • Dec. 16, 2022

I scribble down my homework, get up, and repeat.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 31, 2022

As time runs out, I scribble down the list, as exhausted as if I had actually loaded a wagon with hundreds of pounds of goods.

From "Amina's Voice" by Hena Khan

Related Words

• curtail
• cut
• cut down
• decrease
• depreciate
• devalue
• diminish
• downgrade
• knock off
• lessen
• pare
• slash
• soften