bring down
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Forms: form: brings down
form: bringing down
form: brought down
form: brought down
Senses: examples: text: Dad has brought down a stack of old vinyl records from the attic.
glosses: Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see bring, down.
examples: text: The rebel forces are trying to bring down the president and his government.
synonyms: depose
dethrone
glosses: To make (a ruler or government) lose their position of power.
examples: text: The latest budget reforms are intended to bring down the level of inflation.
text: The causes of income stagnation are varied and lack the political simplicity of calls to bring down the deficit or avert another Wall Street meltdown.
ref: 2012 October 23, David Leonhardt, New York Times, retrieved 24 Oct 2012:
synonyms: word: lessen
word: abate
word: bring down
word: cut
word: decrease
word: decrement
word: diminish
word: foreshorten
word: lessen
word: lower
word: reduce
glosses: To reduce.
synonyms: cut down to size
depress
put someone in their place
glosses: To humble.
examples: text: He brought down a pheasant with his first shot of the day.
text: For survival off-the-grid, one should have a gun that can bring down most animals without damaging their meat.
text: Quinn raised the gun again, wondering if there was anything she could shoot that would buy her more time. Bring down the electric lines overhead? No way could she make a shot like that. Place a call and toss her cellphone at the thing? Not enough time. She substituted the strobe light again, and the ghostlem swatted it out of her hand. She spun, catching herself on the asphalt with stinging fingers, and waited to be jellified from behind.
ref: 2023 June 25, HarryBlank, “Transposthumousism”, in SCP Foundation, archived from the original on 20 Feb 2025:
synonyms: shoot down
glosses: To make (something, especially something flying) fall to the ground, usually by firing a weapon of some kind.
examples: text: Kalinic later saw red for a rash tackle on Paul Scharner before Gabriel Tamas was dismissed for bringing down Diouf.
ref: 2010 December 28, Kevin Darlin, “West Brom 1 - 3 Blackburn”, in BBC:
topics: hobbies
lifestyle
sports
synonyms: harsh one's mellow
glosses: To cause (an opponent) to fall after a tackle.
examples: text: The news of his death brought her down.
text: I went to a shrink, to analyze my dreams / He said it's lack of sex that's bringing me down
ref: 1994, Green Day, “Basket Case”:
text: Nothing in this world could / Ever bring them down / Yeah, they're invincible / And she's just in the background
ref: 2013 May 31, Echosmith, Jeffery David, and Jesiah Dzwonek, “Cool Kids”, in Talking Dreams, performed by Echosmith:
synonyms: word: get down
word: put out
word: aggrieve
word: attrist
word: begloom
word: begrieve
word: besorrow
word: grieve
word: bring down
word: contristate
word: dash
word: deject
word: depress
word: desolate
word: dispirit
word: engrieve
word: forset
word: get down
word: grieven
word: moan
word: oppress
word: rue
word: sadden
word: sadden up
word: tristitiate
word: ungladden
word: unhappy
word: upset
word: agitate
word: freak
word: bother
word: bring down
word: discompose
word: disconcert
word: enturbulate
word: disturb
word: mortify
word: perturb
word: put out
word: ruffle
word: throw off balance
word: unsettle
word: upset
glosses: To make (someone) feel bad emotionally.
examples: text: From the evidence of witnesses and of the recorded passing times, including the time at which the circuit breakers were tripped when the wires were brought down, the train was travelling at a speed of not less than 70 m.p.h.
ref: 1961 November, “Talking of Trains: Derailment near Holmes Chapel”, in Trains Illustrated, page 652:
glosses: To cause to fall down, e.g. in an accident.
synonyms: lag off
glosses: To take (someone) to prison.
examples: text: She brought down a five-year bid.
qualifier: African-American Vernacular
glosses: To receive a prison sentence.
examples: text: He brought down the club.
synonyms: word: animate
word: awaken
word: electrify
word: enflame
word: enkindle
word: enthrill
word: exagitate
word: excite
word: exhilarate
word: exsuscitate
word: fillip
word: fire
word: fire the blood
word: galvanize
word: gin up
word: ignite
word: inflame
word: intoxicate
word: kindle
word: quicken
word: rouse
word: send
word: set fire to
word: set on fire
word: sharpen
word: stir the blood
word: suscitate
word: thrill
word: vitalise
word: wake
word: warm the blood
word: whet
word: wind up
word: work up
word: yerk
qualifier: African-American Vernacular
glosses: To incite excitement in (a place or crowd).
synonyms: word: cool down
word: hose down
word: allay
word: ameliorate
word: appease
word: assuage
word: becalm
word: bestill
word: bring down
word: calm
word: calm down
word: cool down
word: cool off
word: delay
word: hose down
word: lull
word: mollify
word: pacify
word: peacen
word: placate
word: put at ease
word: quell
word: relax
word: soothe
word: still
word: temper
glosses: To calm down (someone).
glosses: To stop the effects of intoxication in (someone).
Related terms: bring down the curtain
bring down the house