He had to sell his home to pay his legal fees and was reduced to parking cars for money.
Sheila's cries reduced him to silence.
New idioms dictionary. 2014.
reduce someone/thing to — bring someone or something by force or necessity to (an undesirable state or action). → reduce … English new terms dictionary
bring someone (or something) to their (or its) knees — reduce someone or something to a state of weakness or submission. → knee … English new terms dictionary
lighten up (on someone or something) — n. to reduce the pressure (on someone or something); to calm down (about someone or something). □ Cool it, man. Lighten up! We all gotta get along here. □ Lighten up on the guy. He only stepped on your toe … Dictionary of American slang and colloquial expressions
reduce — re|duce [ rı dus ] verb transitive *** 1. ) to make something smaller or less in size, amount, importance, etc: CUT DOWN: Try to reduce the amount of fat in your diet. reduce something by something: The workforce will be reduced by around 30… … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
reduce to — phrasal verb [transitive] Word forms reduce to : present tense I/you/we/they reduce to he/she/it reduces to present participle reducing to past tense reduced to past participle reduced to 1) reduce something to something to make something change… … English dictionary
reduce — [[t]rɪdju͟ːs, AM du͟ːs[/t]] ♦♦ reduces, reducing, reduced 1) VERB If you reduce something, you make it smaller in size or amount, or less in degree. [V n] It reduces the risks of heart disease... [V n] Consumption is being reduced by 25 per cent … English dictionary
reduce — re|duce W1S1 [rıˈdju:s US rıˈdu:s] v [Date: 1300 1400; : Latin; Origin: reducere to lead back , from ducere to lead ] 1.) [T] to make something smaller or less in size, amount, or price = ↑cut →↑reduction ▪ The governor announced a new plan to… … Dictionary of contemporary English
reduce — verb 1》 make or become smaller or less in amount, degree, or size. ↘boil (a sauce or other liquid) so that it becomes thicker and more concentrated. ↘chiefly N. Amer. (of a person) lose weight. ↘Photography make (a negative or print)… … English new terms dictionary
something a disservice — do someone/something a disservice/do a disservice to someone/something/formal phrase to do something that makes people’s opinion of someone or something not as good as it should be To describe her as just a journalist is to do her a disservice.… … Useful english dictionary
bring someone/something to their/its knees — reduce someone or something to a state of weakness or submission … Useful english dictionary
