reduce
1. [ verb ] cut down on; make a reduction in
Synonyms: cut cut_down cut_back trim_down trim bring_down trim_back
Examples:

"reduce your daily fat intake" "The employer wants to cut back health benefits"

Related terms: decrease shorten slash take_away thin_out shave quench deflate retrench inflate cut thin cut trim
2. [ verb ] make less complex
Synonyms: simplify
Examples:

"reduce a problem to a single question"

Related terms: change simplify abbreviate reduction
3. [ verb ] bring to humbler or weaker state or condition
Examples:

"He reduced the population to slavery"

Related terms: demote
4. [ verb ] lower in grade or rank
Examples:

"She reduced her niece to a servant" force somebody into an unpleasant situation

Related terms: degrade
5. [ verb ] be the essential element
Synonyms: come_down boil_down
Examples:

"The proposal boils down to a compromise"

Related terms: become
6. [ verb ] (mathematics) simplify the form of a mathematical equation of expression by substituting one term for another
Related terms: substitute mathematics
7. [ verb ] reduce in size; reduce physically
Synonyms: shrink
Examples:

"Hot water will shrink the sweater" "Can you shrink this image?"

Related terms: decrease reef miniaturize depopulate contract shrinking shrink
8. [ verb ] make smaller
Synonyms: scale_down
Examples:

"reduce an image"

Related terms: blow_up shrink decrease
9. [ verb ] lessen and make more modest
Examples:

"reduce one's standard of living"

Related terms: impoverish
10. [ verb ] narrow or limit
Synonyms: tighten
Examples:

"reduce the influx of foreigners"

Related terms: restrict
11. [ verb ] (chemistry) to remove oxygen from a compound, or cause to react with hydrogen or form a hydride, or to undergo an increase in the number of electrons
Synonyms: deoxidise deoxidize
Related terms: oxidize change pole benficiate chemistry reduction
12. [ verb ] (politics) put down by force or intimidation
Synonyms: subdue repress subjugate quash keep_down
Examples:

"The government quashes any attempt of an uprising" "China keeps down her dissidents very efficiently" "The rich landowners subjugated the peasants working the land"

Related terms: oppress clamp_down overcomer
13. [ verb ] (food) cook until very little liquid is left, as of sauces
Synonyms: concentrate boil_down
Examples:

"The cook reduced the sauce by boiling it for a long time"

Related terms: decrease cooking concentrate
14. [ verb ] reduce in scope while retaining essential elements
Synonyms: shorten foreshorten abridge cut contract abbreviate
Examples:

"The manuscript must be shortened"

Related terms: elaborate decrease condense bowdlerize cut condensation contraction abridger
15. [ verb ] (food) be cooked until very little is left; as of sauces
Synonyms: decoct concentrate boil_down
Examples:

"The sauce should reduce to one cup"

Related terms: decrease cooking concentrate
16. [ verb ] lessen the strength or flavor of a solution or mixture
Synonyms: dilute cut thin_out thin
Examples:

"cut bourbon"

Related terms: weaken water_down dilution dilution cutting diluent
17. [ verb ] undergo meiosis
Examples:

"The cells reduce"

Related terms: separate
18. [ verb ] (surgery) reposition back to its normal site, as of a broken bone, in surgery
Related terms: reposition
19. [ verb ] take off weight
Synonyms: lose_weight melt_off slenderize thin slim_down slim
Related terms: gain change_state sweat_off reducing
Similar spelling:   Reddic
  retouch
  Reddick
  redux
  Redus
  Reetz
  Reddix