cut down

verb

Updated on: 26 Apr 2018

transitive verb

1 a : to strike down and kill or incapacitate

b : knock down

2 a : to remodel by removing extras or unwanted furnishings and fittings

b : to remake in a smaller size

intransitive verb

: to reduce or curtail volume or activity

cut down on smoking

— cut down to size

: to reduce from an inflated or exaggerated importance to true or suitable stature

See cut down defined for kids

Examples of cut down in a Sentence

we need to cut down that dying tree

Recent Examples of cut down from the Web

Workers for the church recently began replanting trees and shrubs that church officials illegally cut down in 2016.

— jeff forward, Houston Chronicle, "Residents unhappy with progress on St. Anthony action plan," 21 Apr. 2018
Nayara Springs in Costa Rica avoided cutting down a single tree during construction, and since opening in 2017, Wilderness Safaris has planted 20,000 trees at Bisate Lodge in Rwanda.

— michaela trimble, Vogue, "7 Ways to Make Your Travel More Sustainable," 19 Apr. 2018
Using 13 actors cuts down on the emotional toll that a single performer would have to endure, Lee said.

— matthew j. palm, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Orlando joins in 'Natural Shocks,' a national theater event on gun violence," 19 Apr. 2018
There is some evidence that the procedural change has cut down the number of evictions filed.

— julia terruso, Philly.com, "Why 1 in 14 Philly renters faces eviction every year," 18 Apr. 2018
Birds that nest in tree cavities return from migrations to find trees cut down and increased competition from other species.

— bruce henderson, charlotteobserver, "Carolina birders took notes for 150 years. Many of the species they saw are gone. | Charlotte Observer," 12 Apr. 2018
Our two-strike approach wasn't very good early on and a lot of guys weren't cutting down on their swing.

— nate bryan, The Courier-Journal, "St. Xavier baseball downs rival Trinity to stay unbeaten," 12 Apr. 2018
Although there are some who rejoice in his death, there are millions across the length and breadth of this world who are smitten with grief that this friend of mankind — all mankind — has been cut down in the flower of his youth.

— time staff, Time, "Only One Official Eulogy Was Delivered at Martin Luther King Jr.'s Public Funeral. Read the Full Text Here," 4 Apr. 2018
Afterward, the players basked in confetti, hoisted the NCAA trophy, and cut down the net.

— michael levenson, BostonGlobe.com, "No ESPN, no endorsement deals, no problem for Amherst College basketball champs," 23 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cut down.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of cut down

1571

in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

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Medical Dictionary

cutdown

noun cut·down \ ˈkət-ˌdau̇n \

: incision of a superficial blood vessel (as a vein) to facilitate insertion of a catheter (as for administration of fluids)

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