reducer
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
Related to reducer: reducing agent
re·duce
(rĭ-do͞os′, -dyo͞os′)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:
a. To gain control of; subject or conquer: "a design to reduce them under absolute despotism" (Declaration of Independence).
b. To subject to destruction: Enemy bombers reduced the city to rubble.
c. To bring to a specified undesirable state, as of weakness or helplessness: disease that reduced the patient to emaciation; teasing that reduced the child to tears.
d. To compel to desperate acts: The Depression reduced many to begging on street corners.
e. To lower in rank or grade; demote.
3. To thicken or intensify the flavor of (a sauce, for example) by slow boiling.
4. To lower the price of: The store has drastically reduced winter coats.
5. To decrease the viscosity of (paint, for example), as by adding a solvent.
6. To put in a simpler or more systematic form; simplify or codify: reduced her ideas to a collection of maxims.
7. To turn into powder; pulverize.
8. Chemistry
a. To decrease the valence of (an atom) by adding electrons.
b. To remove oxygen from (a compound).
c. To add hydrogen to (a compound).
d. To change to a metallic state by removing nonmetallic constituents; smelt.
9. Mathematics To simplify the form of (an expression, such as a fraction) without changing the value.
10. Medicine To restore (a fractured or displaced body part) to a normal condition or position.
11. Linguistics To pronounce (a stressed vowel) as the unstressed version of that vowel or as schwa.
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.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
reducer
(rɪˈdjuːsə)n
1. (Photography) photog a chemical solution used to lessen the density of a negative or print by oxidizing some of the blackened silver to soluble silver compounds. Compare intensifier3
2. (Building) a pipe fitting connecting two pipes of different diameters
3. a person or thing that reduces
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Noun | 1. | reducer - a substance capable of bringing about the reduction of another substance as it itself is oxidized; used in photography to lessen the density of a negative or print by oxidizing some of the loose silver chemical agent - an agent that produces chemical reactions hydrazine - a colorless fuming corrosive liquid; a powerful reducing agent; used chiefly in rocket fuels |
2. | reducer - pipefitting that joins two pipes of different diameter pipe fitting, pipefitting - fitting consisting of threaded pieces of pipe for joining pipes together |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
reducer
n (Phot) → Abschwächer m
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007