reduce - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

reduce

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/rɪˈdjuːs/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/rɪˈdus, -ˈdjus/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(ri do̅o̅s, -dyo̅o̅s)

Inflections of 'reduce' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
reduces
v 3rd person singular
reducing
v pres p
reduced
v past
reduced
v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2024
re•duce /rɪˈdus, -ˈdyus/USA pronunciation   v. [+ object], -duced, -duc•ing. 
  1. to bring down to a smaller size, amount, price, etc.:reduced her weight by ten pounds.
  2. to lower in degree, intensity, etc.:reduced the speed of the car.
  3. to treat (something complicated) by analyzing smaller parts:reduced the problem to its essentials.
  4. to act in a destructive manner upon (a substance or object):Their house was reduced to ashes by the fire.
  5. to break down into:[+ object + to + object]The criticism reduced him to tears.
  6. to change the figures or form, but not the value, of (a fraction, polynomial, etc.):Six-eighths reduced to lowest terms is three-fourths.
re•duc•tive /rɪˈdʌktɪv/USA pronunciation  adj. See -duc-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2024
re•duce  (ri do̅o̅s, -dyo̅o̅s),USA pronunciation v., -duced, -duc•ing. 
v.t. 
  1. to bring down to a smaller extent, size, amount, number, etc.:to reduce one's weight by 10 pounds.
  2. to lower in degree, intensity, etc.:to reduce the speed of a car.
  3. to bring down to a lower rank, dignity, etc.:a sergeant reduced to a corporal
  4. to treat analytically, as a complex idea.
  5. to lower in price.
  6. to bring to a certain state, condition, arrangement, etc.:to reduce glass to powder.
  7. to bring under control or authority.
  8. [Cookery.]to evaporate water from (a sauce, soup, or other liquid), usually by boiling.
  9. [Photog.]to lessen the density of (an exposed negative).
  10. to adjust or correct by making allowances, as an astronomical observation.
  11. [Math.]to change the denomination or form, but not the value, of (a fraction, polynomial, etc.).
  12. [Chem.]
    • to add electrons to.
    • to deoxidize.
    • to add hydrogen to.
    • to change (a compound) so that the valence of the positive element is lower.
  13. [Chem., Metall.]to bring into the metallic state by separating from nonmetallic constituents.
  14. to thin or dilute:to reduce paint with oil or turpentine.
  15. to lower the alcoholic concentration of (spirits) by diluting with water.
  16. [Surg.]to restore to the normal place, relation, or condition, as a fractured bone.
  17. Phoneticsto modify the quality of (a speech sound) to one of lesser distinctiveness, esp. to pronounce (an unstressed vowel) as (ə) or another centralized vowel, as in the unstressed syllables of medicinal.

v.i. 
  1. to become reduced.
  2. to become lessened, esp. in weight.
  3. to be turned into or made to equal something:All our difficulties reduce to financial problems.
  4. [Cell Biol.]to undergo meiosis.
  • Latin redūcere to lead back, bring back, equivalent. to re- re- + dūcere to lead
  • Middle English reducen to lead back 1325–75
    • 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged diminish, decrease, shorten, abridge, curtail, contract, retrench.
    • 1, 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged lessen, attenuate, abate.
    • 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged degrade, demote, humble.
    • 7.See corresponding entry in Unabridged subdue, subjugate, conquer, subject, vanquish, overcome, overpower.
    • 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged increase.
    • 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged elevate, exalt.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
reduce /rɪˈdjuːs/ vb (mainly tr)
  1. (also intr) to make or become smaller in size, number, extent, degree, intensity, etc
  2. to bring into a certain state, condition, etc: to reduce a forest to ashes, to reduce someone to despair
  3. (also intr) to make or become slimmer; lose or cause to lose excess weight
  4. to impoverish (esp in the phrase in reduced circumstances)
  5. to bring into a state of submission to one's authority; subjugate: the whole country was reduced after three months
  6. to bring down the price of (a commodity)
  7. to lower the rank or status of; demote: he was reduced from corporal to private, reduced to the ranks
  8. to set out systematically as an aid to understanding; simplify: his theories have been reduced in a popular treatise
  9. to modify or simplify the form of (an expression or equation), esp by substitution of one term by another
  10. to make (a sauce, stock, etc) more concentrated by boiling away some of the water in it
  11. to thin out (paint) by adding oil, turpentine, etc; dilute
  12. (also intr) to undergo or cause to undergo a chemical reaction with hydrogen or formation of a hydride
  13. to lose or cause to lose oxygen atoms
  14. to undergo or cause to undergo an increase in the number of electrons
  15. 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
  16. to manipulate or reposition (a broken or displaced bone, organ, or part) back to its normal site
  17. (also intr) to undergo or cause to undergo meiosis
Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin redūcere to bring back, from re- + dūcere to lead

reˈducible adj reˌduciˈbility n reˈducibly adv
'reduce' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: reduce [significantly, dramatically, slightly], reduce your [waste, footprint, consumption], (significantly) reduce [speed, stress, accidents], more...

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