Definition

1. Verb:
   • To reduce in size, amount, or extent: The primary meaning is to make something smaller or less by removing parts or decreasing quantity.
   • To make something neater or more orderly by cutting away unnecessary parts: This sense involves cutting or pruning to improve appearance or efficiency.

Usage and Examples

• Verb:
  • She decided to trim down her monthly expenses to save more money.
  • The editor asked me to trim down the article by 500 words.
  • He is trying to trim down before his beach vacation.

Advanced Usage

• "to trim something down to size": To reduce something, often an idea, plan, or object, to a more manageable or appropriate scale.
  • The ambitious project proposal had to be trimmed down to size to fit the budget.

Variants and Related Words

• Trim (verb): To make neat or of the required size or form by cutting away irregular or unwanted parts. (e.g., )
• Cut down (verb): A common synonym meaning to reduce the amount or number of something. (e.g., )
• Reduce (verb): To make smaller or less in amount, degree, or size.

Synonyms

• Reduce
• Cut down
• Decrease
• Scale down
• Prune

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Cut back (on): To reduce the amount, size, or cost of something.
  • The company had to cut back on staffing during the recession.

Related Idioms

• Trim the fat: To remove unnecessary parts or inefficiencies, especially in business or writing.
  • The new manager's first task was to trim the fat from the bloated budget.

Verb

1. cut down on; make a reduction in
   • reduce your daily fat intake
   • The employer wants to cut back health benefits