reduce

Everyday

1. To reduce something is to make it smaller in size, amount, number or strength. tree →
2. To reduce a price is to make it cheaper. tree →
3. In cooking, to reduce a sauce is to boil it so it becomes thicker and smaller in amount. tree →
4. To be reduced to something is to be brought to a worse state, such as being reduced to tears. tree →
5. To reduce something can mean to write it down in a simpler, standard form. tree →

In the lessons

In maths, «reduce by 5» means subtract 5; «reduce by half» means divide by 2; «reduced by 20%» means take away a fifth; to reduce a fraction means to simplify it (6/8 = 3/4). In science and everyday life, «reduce, reuse, recycle» means using less, so there is less waste; we reduce energy use by switching off lights. Phrases: «reduce by», «reduce to», «reduced price», «reduce waste», «reduce speed».

Examples

• Reduce 20 by 5 and you get 15. tree →
• The shop reduced the price of the shoes. tree →
• We can reduce waste by using a lunchbox. tree →
• Reduce speed near schools. tree →
• Wearing a helmet reduces the risk of head injury. tree →
• Reduce the fraction 4/8 to 1/2. tree →
• Cook the sauce until it reduces. tree →
• The sad film reduced me to tears. tree →
• I have reduced the Suffolk dialect. tree →

Note

Regular verb: reduced. Noun: reduction. «Reduce by» tells you how much is taken away; «reduce to» tells you the new amount: «reduce 50 by 10» → 40; «reduce 50 to 10» → 10. In maths problems «reduced» means the number gets smaller.