slim down
Definition
- Verb:
- To lose weight; to become thinner: The primary meaning of "slim down" is to reduce one's body weight or size, often through diet or exercise.
- To reduce in size or number: In a business or organizational context, it can mean to make something smaller, more efficient, or less costly by reducing staff, operations, or expenses.
Usage
- The verb "slim down" is typically used intransitively (e.g., ) to describe a person's weight loss. It can also be used transitively (e.g., ) to describe the act of making something smaller.
- It often implies a deliberate, positive effort to become healthier or more efficient.
Examples
- Intransitive (losing weight):
- After starting her new fitness routine, she began to slim down noticeably.
- He needs to slim down before his doctor's appointment next month.
- Transitive (reducing something):
- The corporation decided to slim down its operations in Europe to cut costs.
- We had to slim down the guest list for the wedding due to budget constraints.
Advanced Usage
- "Slimming down" (Gerund/Noun form): The process of losing weight or reducing size.
- Slimming down requires both discipline and patience.
- Used figuratively for non-physical reduction:
- The editor helped me slim down my essay by removing unnecessary paragraphs.
Variants and Related Words
- Slim (verb/adjective): As a verb, it means to make oneself thinner (e.g., ). As an adjective, it means attractively thin.
- Downsize (verb): A close synonym in business contexts, meaning to reduce the number of employees or the scale of operations.
Synonyms
- Lose weight: The most direct synonym for the health-related meaning.
- Reduce: A general synonym for making something smaller.
- Trim down: Very similar in meaning, often used interchangeably.
- Cut back: To reduce amount or number.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- Cut down (on): To reduce the amount of something consumed or used.
- He cut down on sugar to help slim down.
- Trim down: Essentially synonymous with "slim down" for both body weight and general reduction.
Related Idioms
- Get into shape: To become physically fit, which often involves slimming down.
- His goal is to get into shape, so he's trying to slim down and build muscle.
- Tighten one's belt: To spend less money; while not directly about weight, it relates to the concept of reduction and is sometimes used in similar contexts of making cuts.
- After the financial loss, the family had to tighten its belt and slim down its budget.
Verb
-
take off weight
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