Library / English Dictionary

BRING DOWN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Cut down on; make a reduction in

Example:

The employer wants to cut back health benefits

Synonyms:

bring down; cut; cut back; cut down; reduce; trim; trim back; trim down

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "bring down" is one way to...):

decrease; lessen; minify (make smaller)

Verb group:

cut (have a reducing effect)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "bring down"):

knock off; shave (cut the price of)

subtract (take off or away)

downsize ((of a company) reduce in size or number of employees)

inflate (increase the amount or availability of, creating a rise in value)

deflate (reduce or cut back the amount or availability of, creating a decline in value or prices)

detract; take away (take away a part from; diminish)

thin (make thin or thinner)

thin out (make sparse)

slash (cut drastically)

retrench (make a reduction, as in one's workforce)

quench (reduce the degree of (luminescence or phosphorescence) in (excited molecules or a material) by adding a suitable substance)

spill (reduce the pressure of wind on (a sail))

shorten (make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Impose something unpleasant

Example:

The principal visited his rage on the students

Synonyms:

bring down; impose; inflict; visit

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "bring down" is one way to...):

communicate; intercommunicate (transmit thoughts or feelings)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "bring down"):

foist (to force onto another)

give (inflict as a punishment)

clamp (impose or inflict forcefully)

intrude; obtrude (thrust oneself in as if by force)

dictate; order; prescribe (issue commands or orders for)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something on somebody

Sense 3

Meaning:

Cause to be enthusiastic

Example:

Her playing brought down the house

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "bring down" is one way to...):

enthuse (cause to feel enthusiasm)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sense 4

Meaning:

Move something or somebody to a lower position

Example:

take down the vase from the shelf

Synonyms:

bring down; get down; let down; lower; take down

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "bring down" is one way to...):

displace; move (cause to move or shift into a new position or place, both in a concrete and in an abstract sense)

Cause:

come down; descend; fall; go down (move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "bring down"):

reef (lower and bring partially inboard)

depress (lower (prices or markets))

dip (lower briefly)

incline (lower or bend (the head or upper body), as in a nod or bow)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 5

Meaning:

Cause to come to the ground

Example:

the pilot managed to land the airplane safely

Synonyms:

bring down; land; put down

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "bring down" is one way to...):

arrive; come; get (reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress)

Cause:

land; set down (reach or come to rest)

Domain category:

air; air travel; aviation (travel via aircraft)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 6

Meaning:

Cause the downfall of; of rulers

Example:

subvert the ruling class

Synonyms:

bring down; overthrow; overturn; subvert

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "bring down" is one way to...):

depose; force out (force to leave (an office))

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "bring down"):

revolutionize (overthrow by a revolution, of governments)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Credits

 Context examples: 

Upon such expressions of affection Fanny could have lived an hour without saying another word; but Edmund, after waiting a moment, obliged her to bring down her mind from its heavenly flight by saying, But what is it that you want to consult me about?

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)