Webster's English Dictionary

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reduce

Cross references:
  1. conquer                2. decrease              
 
reduce \ri-'d(y)u:s\ \-.d(y)u:-s*-'bil-*t-e-\ \-'d(y)u:-s*-b*l\ \-ble-\ vb 
   [ME reducen to lead back, fr. L reducere, fr. re- + ducere] to lead - more 
   at TOW 1a: to draw together or cause to converge : CONSOLIDATE  1b: to 
   diminish in size, amount, extent, or number  1c: to narrow down : RESTRICT  
   1d: to make shorter : ABRIDGE  archaic  2: to restore to righteousness : 
   SAVE  3: to bring to a specified state or condition  4a: to force to 
   capitulate  4b: FORCE, COMPEL  5a: to bring to a systematic form or 
   character  5b: to endow with (a definite shape)  6: to correct (as a 
   fracture) by bringing displaced or broken parts back i nto their normal 
   positions 7a: to lower in grade or rank : DEMOTE  7b: to lower in condition 
   or status : DOWNGRADE  8a: to diminish in value  9a1: to change the 
   denominations or form of without changing the value  9a2: to construct a 
   geometrical figure similar to but smaller than (a give n figure) 9b: to 
   transpose from one form into another  9c: to change (an expression) to an 
   equivalent but more fundamental expres sion 10: to break down (as by 
   crushing or grinding) : PULVERIZE  11a: to bring to the metallic state by 
   removal of nonmetallic elements  11b: DEOXIDIZE  11c: to combine with or 
   subject to the action of hydrogen  11d1: to change (an element or ion) from 
   a higher to a lower oxidation sta te 11d2: to add one or more electrons to 
   (an atom or ion or molecule)  12: to change (a stressed vowel) to an 
   unstressed vowel  1a: to become diminished or lessened; esp : to lose 
   weight by diet ing 1b: to become concentrated or consolidated  1c: to 
   undergo meiosis  2: to become converted or equated  - re.duc.er n