reduce/rIˋdus; rIˈdjuːs/v [T] to make something become less in size, amount, price etc [ cut ; → reduction] 缩小〔尺寸〕﹔减少〔数量〕﹔降低〔价格〕: reduce the number/amount/level etc of sth They’re trying to reduce the number of students in the college. 他们正试图减少学院里的学生人数。attempts to reduce unemployment 降低失业率的尝试reduce sth (from sth) to sth The jacket was reduced from £75 to £35. 这件夹克从 75 英镑减价到 35 英镑。reduce sb/sth to sthphr v 1 reduce sb to tears to make someone cry 使某人流泪: Many staff were reduced to tears by the tragedy. 许多员工都为这件不幸的事落泪了。2 reduce sb to doing sth to make someone do something which they would prefer not to, especially when it is worse than what they did before 迫使某人做原本不情愿做的某事﹔使某人沦落到做某事的地步: They were reduced to begging on the streets. 他们沦落到沿街乞讨。 3 reduce sth to rubble/ashes/ruins to destroy something, especially a building or city, completely 使某物化为瓦砾/灰烬/废墟