Definition

1. Verb (transitive):

   • To cause something to fall by cutting or striking, especially a tree or plant.
   • To reduce the amount, size, or number of something.
   • To kill or strike someone down.
   • To edit or shorten a text, speech, or other work by removing parts.

2. Verb (intransitive):

   • To reduce one's consumption or use of something.

Usage and Examples

• Verb (transitive - to fell):
  • They had to cut down the old oak tree because it was diseased.
  • The farmer cut down the wheat with a scythe.
• Verb (transitive - to reduce):
  • I'm trying to cut down my sugar intake.
  • The editor asked me to cut down the article by 500 words.
• Verb (transitive - to kill/strike):
  • Many soldiers were cut down by machine-gun fire. (This is a figurative/literary usage).
• Verb (intransitive - to reduce consumption):
  • You should cut down on caffeine.
  • We need to cut down on our household expenses.

Advanced Usage

• "to be cut down in one's prime": To die or be stopped when one is young and successful.
  • The brilliant athlete was cut down in his prime by a tragic accident.
• "to cut someone down to size": To make someone realize they are not as important or capable as they think.
  • His arrogant behavior was cut down to size by the manager's sharp criticism.

Variants and Related Words

• Cutback (n): A reduction in something.
  • The company announced cutbacks in its workforce.
• Downtime (n): Time when a machine or system is not working. (Related conceptually to being "down").
• Cut (v): The base verb, meaning to divide or separate with a sharp tool.

Synonyms

• Reduce, decrease, lessen, lower (for the "reduce" meaning).
• Fell, chop down, hew (for the "fell a tree" meaning).
• Shorten, edit, abridge (for the "shorten text" meaning).

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Cut back (on): Very similar to "cut down (on)," meaning to reduce.
  • We must cut back on unnecessary spending.
• Cut out: To remove something by cutting, or to stop doing/eating something.
  • She cut out the coupon from the magazine.
  • He decided to cut out fast food.
• Cut off: To remove by cutting, or to stop the supply of something.
  • The barber cut off his long hair.
  • Our electricity was cut off for non-payment.

Related Idioms

• Cut corners: To do something in the easiest or cheapest way, often sacrificing quality.
  • They cut corners during construction, and now the building has problems.
• Cut it out!: An informal command telling someone to stop doing something annoying.
  • You're being silly—cut it out!

Verb

1. cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
   • strike down a tree
   • Lightning struck down the hikers
2. cut with a blade or mower
   • mow the grass
3. intercept (a player)
4. cause to come or go down
   • The policeman downed the heavily armed suspect
   • The mugger knocked down the old lady after she refused to hand over her wallet
5. cut with sweeping strokes; as with an ax or machete
6. cut down on; make a reduction in
   • reduce your daily fat intake
   • The employer wants to cut back health benefits