reduce

reduce
verb
[with obj.]

make smaller or less in amount, degree, or size
减少（数量)，降低（程度)，缩小（规模）
the need for businesses to reduce costs.
公司降低成本的需要。
the workforce has been reduced to some 6,100.
职工总数已被减至6,100人左右。
[as adj. reduced]a reduced risk of coronary disease.
降低了的冠心病风险。
■[no obj.]become smaller or less in size, amount, or degree
（规模）缩小，（数量）减少，（程度）降低
the number of priority homeless cases has reduced slightly.
被优先照顾的无家可归者人数已微幅下降。
■boil (a sauce or other liquid) in cooking so that it becomes thicker and more concentrated
慢煮使（调味汁等液体）浓缩变稠
■[no obj.](chiefly N. Amer.)(of a person) lose weight, typically by dieting
(主北美)（尤指通过节食）减轻体重，减肥
by May she had reduced to 9 stone.
到五月份她的体重已减至九英石。
■(archaic)conquer (a place), in particular besiege and capture (a town or fortress)
(古)攻克，征服（尤指围攻并占领城镇或要塞）
■(Photography)make (a negative or print) less dense
(摄)减薄（底片或图片）
■(Phonetics)articulate (a speech sound) in a way requiring less muscular effort, giving rise in vowels to a more central articulatory position
(语音)弱化
(reduce someone/thing to)bring someone or something to (a lower or weaker state, condition, or role)
使（某人／事）降至（某种状态、境地或角色）
she has been reduced to near poverty.
她沦落到几乎一无所有。
the church was reduced to rubble.
教堂成了一堆碎石。
■(be reduced to doing something)(of a person) be forced by difficult circumstances into doing something desperate
（人）被逼无奈，走投无路
ordinary soldiers are reduced to begging.
普通士兵被迫行乞街头。
■make someone helpless with (an expression of emotion, especially with hurt, shock, or amusement)
使无法不表露某种神情（尤指受屈、受惊或感到有趣）
Olga was reduced to stunned silence.
奥尔加被吓得一言不发。
■force into (obedience or submission)
使顺从；使屈服
he succeeds in reducing his grandees to due obedience.
他成功地使他的大公们服服帖帖。
(reduce something to)change a substance to (a different or more basic form)
使改变形式；使还原
it is difficult to understand how lava could have been reduced to dust.
很难理解熔岩是如何变成灰的。
■present a problem or subject in (a simplified form)
归纳，简化
he reduces unimaginable statistics to manageable proportions.
他把不可思议的统计数据简化到可操作程度。
■convert a fraction to (the form with the lowest terms)
将分数约到（最小项）
(Chemistry)cause to combine chemically with hydrogen
(化)使还原
■undergo or cause to undergo a reaction in which electrons are gained from another substance or molecule
（使）进行还原反应。 oxidize 的反义词
restore (a dislocated part) to its proper position by manipulation or surgery
使（脱臼，断骨）复位
■remedy (a dislocation) in such a way
治疗（脱臼，断骨）

常用词组
reduced circumstances

used euphemistically to refer to the state of being poor after being relatively wealthy
[委婉表达从富到穷]生活窘迫
a divorcee living in reduced circumstances.
生活拮据的离婚者。

reduce someone to the ranks

demote a non-commissioned officer to an ordinary soldier
把军士降为普通士兵

派生
reducer
noun
语源

late Middle English: from Latin reducere, from re- 'back, again' + ducere 'bring, lead'. The original sense was 'bring back' (hence 'restore', now surviving in sense 5); this led to 'bring to a different state', then 'bring to a simpler or lower state' (hence sense 3); and finally 'diminish in size or amount' (sense 1, dating from the late 18th cent.)

热门查询

考试词汇表