Definition of “reduce” - English Dictionary

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“reduce” in English

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reduceverb [ I or T ]

uk ​ /rɪˈdʒuːs/ us ​ /rɪˈduːs/

B1 to become or to make something become smaller in size, amount, degree, importance, etc.:

Do nuclear weapons really reduce the risk of war?
The plane reduced speed as it approached the airport.
My weight reduces when I stop eating sugar.
We bought a TV that was reduced from £500 to £350 in the sales.
I reduced the problem to a few simple questions.

› to heat a liquid until it becomes thicker and less in quantity; to become thicker and less in quantity in this way:

Reduce the sauce by boiling for five minutes.
Simmer until the liquid has reduced by about one third.

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Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Idiom(s)

reduce, reuse, recycle

Phrasal verb(s)

reduce sb to sth
reduce sth to sth

(Definition of “reduce” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

“reduce” in American English

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reduceverb [ T ]

us ​ /rɪˈdus/

› to make something less in size, amount, degree, importance, or price:

A low-fat diet can reduce the risk of heart disease.
Grunn employs 17,900 people, but that number will be reduced by 500 workers.
All electronic equipment in the store has been reduced (= lowered in price).

› To reduce someone or something to a particular state is to cause that person or thing to be in that state:

Without any information, we’ve been reduced to guessing what happened.
The town was reduced to rubble in the fighting.

(Definition of “reduce” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

“reduce” in Business English

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reduceverb [ T ]

uk ​ /rɪˈdjuːs/ us ​ /rɪˈduːs/

› to make something less in price, size, amount, etc.:

reduce costs/prices The retailer moved its supply base overseas to reduce costs.
reduce risk/debt/losses Diversification is a good way of reducing risk.
reduce emissions/waste/pollution
He decided to reduce his hours to give him more time with his family.
reduce sth by sth The bank planned to reduce its staff levels by around 20% by 2012.
reduce sth from sth to sth The reorganization will reduce the number of managers from 15 to no more than 8.
Mercury is reducing its stake in the company to 10 percent.
reduce, reuse, recycle

› ENVIRONMENT, SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY an expression used to encourage people to waste less, by using less and using things again, in order to protect the environment

(Definition of “reduce” from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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