cut-down
Verb
(third-person singular simple present cuts down, present participle cutting down, simple past and past participle cut down)
- Used other than as an idiom: see cut,"Ž down.
- To bring down by cutting.
- They want to cut down several trees to make room for the parking lot.
- (idiomatic) To insult, to belittle.
- (idiomatic) To reduce the amount of something.
- He wants to cut down on extra steps.
- Please don't put the candy jar right next to my desk. I'm trying to cut down on sugar.
- (idiomatic, dated) To slay, often in great numbers.
Usage notes
- In all senses, the object may appear before or after the particle. If it is a pronoun, it MUST precede the particle.
