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reducing

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Reducing
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re⋅duce

  [ri-doos, -dyoos] verb, -duced, -duc⋅ing.
Use reducing in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to bring down to a smaller extent, size, amount, number, etc.: to reduce one's weight by 10 pounds.
2. to lower in degree, intensity, etc.: to reduce the speed of a car.
3. to bring down to a lower rank, dignity, etc.: a sergeant reduced to a corporal
4. to treat analytically, as a complex idea.
5. to lower in price.
6. to bring to a certain state, condition, arrangement, etc.: to reduce glass to powder.
7. to bring under control or authority.
8. Cookery. to evaporate water from (a sauce, soup, or other liquid), usually by boiling.
9. Photography. to lessen the density of (an exposed negative).
10. to adjust or correct by making allowances, as an astronomical observation.
11. Mathematics. to change the denomination or form, but not the value, of (a fraction, polynomial, etc.).
12. Chemistry.
a. to add electrons to.
b. to deoxidize.
c. to add hydrogen to.
d. to change (a compound) so that the valence of the positive element is lower.
13. Chemistry, Metallurgy. to bring into the metallic state by separating from nonmetallic constituents.
14. to thin or dilute: to reduce paint with oil or turpentine.
15. to lower the alcoholic concentration of (spirits) by diluting with water.
16. Surgery. to restore to the normal place, relation, or condition, as a fractured bone.
17. Phonetics. to modify the quality of (a speech sound) to one of lesser distinctiveness, esp. to pronounce (an unstressed vowel) as (ə) or another centralized vowel, as in the unstressed syllables of medicinal.
–verb (used without object)
18. to become reduced.
19. to become lessened, esp. in weight.
20. to be turned into or made to equal something: All our difficulties reduce to financial problems.
21. Cell Biology. to undergo meiosis.
Origin:
1325–75; ME reducen to lead back < L redūcere to lead back, bring back, equiv. to re- re- + dūcere to lead

Synonyms:
1. diminish, decrease, shorten, abridge, curtail, contract, retrench. 1, 2. lessen, attenuate, abate. 3. degrade, demote, humble. 7. subdue, subjugate, conquer, subject, vanquish, overcome, overpower.

Antonyms:
1. increase. 3. elevate, exalt.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Reducing
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re·duce   (rĭ-dōōs', -dyōōs')   
v.   re·duced, re·duc·ing, re·duc·es

v.   tr.

  1. To bring down, as in extent, amount, or degree; diminish. See Synonyms at decrease.

  2. To bring to a humbler, weaker, difficult, or forced state or condition; especially:

    1. To gain control of; conquer: "a design to reduce them under absolute despotism" (Declaration of Independence).

    2. To subject to destruction: Enemy bombers reduced the city to rubble.

    3. To weaken bodily: was reduced almost to emaciation.

    4. To sap the spirit or mental energy of.

    5. To compel to desperate acts: The Depression reduced many to begging on street corners.

    6. To lower in rank or grade. See Synonyms at demote.

    7. To powder or pulverize.

    8. To thin (paint) with a solvent.

    9. To decrease the valence of (an atom) by adding electrons.

    10. To remove oxygen from (a compound).

    11. To add hydrogen to (a compound).

    12. To change to a metallic state by removing nonmetallic constituents; smelt.

  3. To lower the price of: The store has drastically reduced winter coats.

  4. To put in order or arrange systematically.

  5. To separate into orderly components by analysis.

  6. Chemistry

    1. To decrease the valence of (an atom) by adding electrons.

    2. To remove oxygen from (a compound).

    3. To add hydrogen to (a compound).

    4. To change to a metallic state by removing nonmetallic constituents; smelt.

  7. Mathematics To simplify the form of (an expression, such as a fraction) without changing the value.

  8. Medicine To restore (a fractured or displaced body part) to a normal condition or position.

v.   intr.

  1. To become diminished.

  2. To lose weight, as by dieting.

  3. Biology To undergo meiosis.


[Middle English reducen, to bring back, from Old French reducier, from Latin redūcere : re-, re- + dūcere, to lead; see deuk- in Indo-European roots.]
re·duc'er n., re·duc'i·bil'i·ty n., re·duc'i·ble adj., re·duc'i·bly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

reduce 
c.1375, "bring back," from O.Fr. reducer (14c.), from L. reducere, from re- "back" + ducere "bring, lead" (see duke). Sense of "to lower, diminish, lessen" is from 1787. Etymological sense preserved in military reduce to ranks (1641). Reduction is attested from 1483; reductionism in philosophy is recorded from 1948.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: re·duce
Pronunciation: ri-'düs, -'dyüs
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: re·duced; re·duc·ing
1 : to make smaller
2 a : to convert (a chose in action) into a chose in possession reduce to possession her property interest in the…determination of money damages —Haynes v. Contat, 643 North Eastern Reporter, Second Series 941 (1994)> b : to convert by enforcement through litigation reduce his claim to judgment, foreclose or otherwise enforce the security interest —Uniform Commercial Code> —re·duc·ibil·i·ty /-"dü-s&-'bi-l&-tE, -"dyü-/ noun —re·duc·ible /-'dü-s&-b&l, -'dyü-/ adjective —re·duc·ibly adverb —re·duc·tion /ri-'d&k-sh&n/ noun —reduce to practice : to cause to undergo reduction to practice
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: re·duce
Pronunciation: ri-'d(y)üs
Function: verb
Inflected Forms: re·duced; re·duc·ing
transitivesenses
1 : to correct (as a fracture or a herniated mass) by bringing displaced or broken parts back into their normal positions
2 a : to bring to themetallic state by removal of nonmetallic elements <reduce an ore by heat> b : DEOXIDIZE c : to combine with or subject to the action of hydrogen d (1) : to change (an element or ion) from a higher to a lower oxidation state (2) : to add one or moreelectrons to (an atom or ion or molecule) reduce intransitive senses
1 : to become diminished or lessened; especially : to lose weight by dieting
2 : to become reduced reduces to ferric iron>
3 : to undergo meiosis

Main Entry: reducing
Function: adjective
: causing or facilitating reduction
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

reduce re·duce (rĭ-d&oomacr;s', -dy&oomacr;s')
v. re·duced, re·duc·ing, re·duc·es

  1. To bring down, as in extent, amount, or degree; diminish.

  2. To lose weight, as by dieting.

  3. To restore a fractured or displaced body part to a normal condition or position.

  4. To decrease the valence of an atom by adding electrons.

  5. To remove oxygen from a compound.

  6. To add hydrogen to a compound.

re·duc'er n.
re·duc'i·bil'i·ty n.
re·duc'i·ble adj.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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