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cut down

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cut down (on something)

to reduce the amount of something or of doing something; to use or buy less of something. You will have to cut down on the time it takes you to get ready in the morning. The doctor told him to cut down on his drinking.

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cut someone down

to kill someone with a weapon, such as a sword, or with gunfire, etc. The bandits cut the bystanders down and fled. The gunman cut down an innocent pedestrian.

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cut someone down (to size)

 and take someone down (to size)

Fig. to make a person humble; to put one in one's place. John's critical remarks really cut me down to size. Jane is too conceited. I think her new boss will take her down to size.

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cut something down

 

1. Lit. to chop something down; to saw or cut at something until it is felled. Stop cutting the banners down! Don't cut down that tree!

2. Fig. to destroy someone's argument; to destroy someone's position or standing. The lawyer cut the testimony down quickly. The lawyer cut down the witness's story.

3. to reduce the price of something. They cut the prices down to sell the goods off quickly. I wish they would cut down the prices in this store.

See also: cut, down

cut down

1. Kill, as in The troops were cut down one by one as they crossed the field. [Early 1800s]

2. Also, cut down on. Reduce, decrease, as in I want to cut down my caffeine intake, or We have to cut down on our expenses. [Mid-1800s]

3. cut down to size; knock down to size. Reduce the self-importance of, humble, as in He's so arrogant-I wish someone would cut him down to size, or She really got knocked down to size when her class ranking slipped. [Early 1900s]

See also: cut, down

cut down

v.

1. To chop something down: The loggers cut down trees from the forest. I cut the overgrown shrubs down.

2. To reduce the amount of something done, used, or taken: I need to cut down on shopping this month. They need to cut their drinking down. We've been gambling too much—we need to cut down.

3. To reduce something, as a price: They're cutting down all the prices at the mall. The company is cutting bonuses down this year.

4. To kill or incapacitate someone: The troops were cut down in battle. Before there were vaccines, many people were cut down by polio.

5. To belittle or discredit someone or something, especially in front of others: The boss cut me down in front of my subordinates. The prosecutor cut down the defendant's testimony.

6. To alter something by removing extra or additional fittings: The shop cut down my car for racing. Let's buy those old trucks and cut them down for work on the back roads.

See also: cut, down