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- cut down to size
cut down to size
cut somebody/something down to size
to make someone or something less important or detailed When he started the job he thought he knew everything, but we soon cut him down to size. Sometimes we have to cut our grand dreams down to size.
cut somebody down to size
to criticize someone who you think is too confident in order to make them feel less confident or less proud When he started he thought he knew everything, but we soon cut him down to size.
cut (someone) down to size
To deflate the self-importance of (someone).