turn down

verb

1. to reduce (the volume or brightness) of (something)

   turn the radio down

2. to reject or refuse

3. to fold down (a collar, sheets on a bed, etc)

adjective

1. (prenominal) capable of being or designed to be folded or doubled down

Idioms and Phrases

Fold or double down, as in They always turn down your bed here , or Turn down your collar . [c. 1600]

Invert, as in She turned down her cards , or They turn down the glasses in the cupboard . [Mid-1700s]

Reject, fail to accept, as in They turned down his proposal , or Joe was turned down at four schools before he was finally accepted . [Late 1800s]

Diminish in volume, brightness, or speed. For example, Please turn down the radio; it's too loud , or They turned down the lights and began to dance . [Second half of 1800s]

Example Sentences

To prove it, he’s pledged to retain the city’s tough-on-crime commissioner, but his vision for policing may give her plenty of reasons to turn down the offer.

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He periodically mentioned in interviews through the years that he had turned down offers to work elsewhere.

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Double child murderer Colin Pitchfork has had his request to be released from prison turned down by the Parole Board.

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Along the way, owing to the success of “Crazy Heart,” Cooper was frequently approached to direct music biopics, all of which he turned down.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Some were turned down over security concerns or because they lacked proper documentation, while others were rejected because they made inaccurate claims, said officials and Congressional aides who track the matter.

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Related Words

• dismiss 
• rebuff 
• refuse 
• spurn