v.1. To try to convince others that something is minor or insignificant: The company president talked down the importance of the move. The sales manager talked the changes down so the staff wouldn't worry.
2. To cause the price or value of a particular investment to decrease by talking about it or factors affecting it: The investors talked down the airline's stock price, spreading rumors about the management so that they could purchase the stock at a discount.
3. To persuade someone to reduce an asking price: The customer talked the salesman down to $50 from a list price of $75. I managed to talk down the price of the used car.
4. To speak in an overtly simple manner that betrays a feeling of superiority: The unpopular principal talked down to the students.
5. To silence someone, especially by speaking in a loud and domineering manner: Every time we tried to say anything, they just talked us down. The crowd talked down the speaker.
6. To direct and control the flight of some aircraft or of some pilot during an approach for landing by radioed instructions from either the ground or a nearby aircraft: The control tower talked down the damaged plane. The air controllers talked the shaken pilot down.