bring down

• Audio (US):

  (file)

bring down (third-person singular simple present brings down, present participle bringing down, simple past and past participle brought down)

1. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see bring,‎ down.

   Dad has brought down a stack of old vinyl records from the attic.

2. (transitive) To make a ruler or government lose their position of power.

   Synonyms: depose, dethrone

   The rebel forces are trying to bring down the president and his government.

3. (transitive) To reduce.

   Synonyms: lessen; see also Thesaurus:diminish

   The latest budget reforms are intended to bring down the level of inflation.

   • 2012 October 23, David Leonhardt, New York Times, retrieved 24 October 2012:

     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.

4. (transitive) To humble.

   Synonyms: cut down to size, depress, put someone in their place

5. (transitive) To make something, especially something flying, fall to the ground, usually by firing a weapon of some kind.

   Synonym: shoot down

   He brought down a pheasant with his first shot of the day.

   For survival off-the-grid, one should have a gun that can bring down most animals without damaging their meat.

6. (sports, transitive) To cause an opponent to fall after a tackle.

   Synonym: harsh one's mellow

   • 2010 December 28, Kevin Darlin, “West Brom 1 - 3 Blackburn”, in BBC‎^[1]:

     Kalinic later saw red for a rash tackle on Paul Scharner before Gabriel Tamas was dismissed for bringing down Diouf.

7. (transitive) To make someone feel bad emotionally.

   Synonyms: get down, put out; see also Thesaurus:sadden, Thesaurus:upset

   The news of his death brought her down.

   • 1994, Green Day (lyrics and music), “Basket Case”:

     I went to a shrink, to analyze my dreams / He said it's lack of sex that's bringing me down

   • 2013 May 31, Echosmith, Jeffery David, and Jesiah Dzwonek, “Cool Kids”, in Talking Dreams‎^[2], performed by Echosmith:

     Nothing in this world could / Ever bring them down / Yeah, they're invincible / And she's just in the background

8. To cause to fall down, e.g. in an accident.
   • 1961 November, “Talking of Trains: Derailment near Holmes Chapel”, in Trains Illustrated, page 652:

     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.

9. (transitive) To take (someone) to prison.

   Synonym: lag off

10. (African-American Vernacular, slang) To receive a prison sentence.

    She brought down a five-year bid.

11. (African-American Vernacular, slang, transitive) To incite excitement in a place or crowd.

    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:thrill

    He brought down the club.

12. (transitive) To calm down (someone).

    Synonyms: cool down, hose down; see also Thesaurus:pacify

13. (transitive) To stop the effects of intoxication in (someone).

The object may appear before or after the particle. If the object is a pronoun, then it must be before the particle.

• bring down the curtain
• bring down the house