downsize

Everyday

1. To make a company smaller by cutting the number of workers. tree →
2. To move to a smaller house or use something smaller, often to save money. tree →
3. (euphemism) «We are downsizing» can be a soft way of saying people are losing their jobs. tree →

In the lessons

In news and business «downsizing» means jobs are cut; in family life grandparents downsize to a smaller home when children leave. Phrases: «downsize the staff», «downsize to a flat».

Examples

• The company downsized and 50 workers lost their jobs. tree →
• Grandma downsized to a small flat near us. tree →
• We downsized to a smaller car to save petrol. tree →
• Dad was let go when his firm downsized. tree →
• After the kids left home, they decided to downsize. tree →
• If a firm of 200 downsizes by a quarter, 150 workers are left. tree →

Note

Regular verb. Noun: downsizing. It is a softer word than «sack» or «fire» — a euphemism. In maths, «downsized by 20 workers» means subtract 20; «by a quarter» means take away one quarter of the number.