cut down

Related to cut down: cut down to size

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.
See also: cut, down

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.
See also: cut, down

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.
See also: cut, down

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

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
References in periodicals archive ?
The Town would cut down its energy consumption, energy costs, greenhouse gas emissions and maintenance costs while offering better light quality on our streets and roadways.
Renewable Energy Systems (RES), the company that will be building the plant, has already sent turbine parts by truck to the region and made the decision to cut down over 300 pine trees along forest roads.
Rocky Jalota, who lives next to the wood, said his children enjoy playing there and were upset to find the trees had been cut down.
He also posted pictures of a man in a black mask using an electric saw to cut down the tree.
Summary: Jihadists cut down oak tree in Atme, on Syria's border with Turkey, after they accused locals of worshipping it.
In a statement here, JI Punjab leaders Nazir Ahmad Janjua, Farooq Chohan and others said the government had not cut down electricity tariff in spite of a fall in prices in the world market.
html) Digitimes citing an insider reported that the Cupertino-based firm has cut down the shipment of 10-12 million iPad Mini units in the second quarter, and the company will bring it down to 10 million units throughout this year.
Those who cut down more on fat, lost more weight," said Dr Lee Hooper from UEA's Norwich Medical School, who led the research.
Many of us turn to alcohol to relieve the stresses of the day but here are some simple tips to help you cut down your intake | 1.
POLICE have been called in after dozens of trees were cut down in front of houses on Seacombe promenade.
The village's custodian, Aziz Alawa, first noticed from a hill in Anefh village that trees in an olive grove had been cut down.
But lPeople Sport port un understands officials are now considering g nderstands offloading jinxed Cole on a permanent deal, or even on another loan agreement, order to cut down their wage bill.
60 plane trees aged over 170 years have already been cut down, with plans to make that number 160, said protesters.
NABLUS, May 9, 2012 (WAFA) -- Jewish settlers Wednesday cut down hundreds of trees in the Nablus area and chased shepherds away from their pastures, according to a local activist.
Summary: The primary focus of energy authorities in Dubai is to cut down on air-conditioning expenditure in the emirate and raise awareness on the importance of conservation of energy at grass-root levels.