REDUCE

[verb] [T] - to make less in size, amount, degree, importance, etc., or bring into a different, usually worse, stateDo nuclear weapons really reduce the risk of war?The plane reduced speed as it approached the airport.I reduced (my) weight by going on a diet.We bought a television that was reduced (from £500 to £350) in the sales.To make a thicker sauce, reduce the ingredients by boiling for 5 minutes.I reduced the problem to a few simple questions.Allied bombing reduced the city to ruins.I was reduced to tears (= made to cry) seeing the mess that they had made.The sergeant was reduced to the ranks (= made an ordinary soldier) for his cowardice.If you are reduced to doing something, you are forced to do it because you have no other choice.I'd run out of cigarettes and was reduced to smoking the butts left in the ashtrays.(dated) She claims she is a duchess living in reduced circumstances (= living in a poorer way than before).If someone who works at a factory or in an office is on reduced time (also short time), they are working fewer days or hours than usual for less money because there is not much work to do.He's been put on reduced time because business is so quiet.