cut down

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Definition

  1. Verb (transitive):

    • To cause something to fall by cutting or striking, especially a tree or plant.
    • To reduce the amount, size, or number of something.
    • To kill or strike someone down.
    • To edit or shorten a text, speech, or other work by removing parts.

  2. Verb (intransitive):

    • To reduce one's consumption or use of something.
Usage and Examples
  • Verb (transitive - to fell):
    • They had to cut down the old oak tree because it was diseased.
    • The farmer cut down the wheat with a scythe.
  • Verb (transitive - to reduce):
    • I'm trying to cut down my sugar intake.
    • The editor asked me to cut down the article by 500 words.
  • Verb (transitive - to kill/strike):
    • Many soldiers were cut down by machine-gun fire. (This is a figurative/literary usage).
  • Verb (intransitive - to reduce consumption):
    • You should cut down on caffeine.
    • We need to cut down on our household expenses.
Advanced Usage
  • "to be cut down in one's prime": To die or be stopped when one is young and successful.
    • The brilliant athlete was cut down in his prime by a tragic accident.
  • "to cut someone down to size": To make someone realize they are not as important or capable as they think.
    • His arrogant behavior was cut down to size by the manager's sharp criticism.
Variants and Related Words
  • Cutback (n): A reduction in something.
    • The company announced cutbacks in its workforce.
  • Downtime (n): Time when a machine or system is not working. (Related conceptually to being "down").
  • Cut (v): The base verb, meaning to divide or separate with a sharp tool.
Synonyms
  • Reduce, decrease, lessen, lower (for the "reduce" meaning).
  • Fell, chop down, hew (for the "fell a tree" meaning).
  • Shorten, edit, abridge (for the "shorten text" meaning).
Related Phrasal Verbs
  • Cut back (on): Very similar to "cut down (on)," meaning to reduce.
    • We must cut back on unnecessary spending.
  • Cut out: To remove something by cutting, or to stop doing/eating something.
    • She cut out the coupon from the magazine.
    • He decided to cut out fast food.
  • Cut off: To remove by cutting, or to stop the supply of something.
    • The barber cut off his long hair.
    • Our electricity was cut off for non-payment.
Related Idioms
  • Cut corners: To do something in the easiest or cheapest way, often sacrificing quality.
    • They cut corners during construction, and now the building has problems.
  • Cut it out!: An informal command telling someone to stop doing something annoying.
    • You're being silly—cut it out!
Verb
  1. cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
    • strike down a tree
    • Lightning struck down the hikers
  2. cut with a blade or mower
    • mow the grass
  3. intercept (a player)
  4. cause to come or go down
    • The policeman downed the heavily armed suspect
    • The mugger knocked down the old lady after she refused to hand over her wallet
  5. cut with sweeping strokes; as with an ax or machete
  6. cut down on; make a reduction in
    • reduce your daily fat intake
    • The employer wants to cut back health benefits

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