| 释义 |
down-size, downsize, v. orig. and chiefly U.S.|ˈdaʊnsaɪz|
[f. down adv. + size v.1]
a. trans. To design or build (a car) of smaller overall dimensions, esp. without reducing interior and boot capacity. Also absol.
1975Automotive Industries 15 Oct. 10/1 The auto companies and their suppliers are turning to the job of ‘downsizing’ most of their cars to meet government and market demands for cars that are lighter and more economical. 1976Time 13 Sept. 47 All the automakers are already at work down-sizing their cars for 1978 and later years. 1977Time 1 Aug. 32/3 The drive to downsize is a result of the ever-tightening federal fuel economy standards. 1986Jrnl. (Fairfax Co., Va.) 23 May c3/1 The vehicle was downsized in the late 1970s, shedding 6.5 inches of wheelbase.
b. gen. To reduce the size of. Also intr. for pass., to be reduced in size.
1979Newsweek 19 Nov. 79 His formal announcement in Washington was similarly down-sized. 1981Christian Science Monitor 27 Apr. b3/3 The U.S. industry is investing more than $80 billion to downsize its automotive fleets across the board by 1985. 1982Fortune 25 Jan. 7/1 Right now he's ‘downsizing’ the company, and hopes to achieve 1982 cost savings of about $600 million. 1983Washington Post 10 June d8/4 Decline in demand for certain products and other factors ‘make it imperative to downsize the business’. 1986N.Y. Times 20 Apr. i. 47/2 New York hospitals ‘will downsize’.
Hence ˈdown-sized ppl. a., ˈdown-sizing vbl. n., esp. the practice of producing or buying smaller, more economical cars.
1975Automotive Industries 15 Oct. 10/2 Downsizing will not just be a matter of switching nameplates, for example, from Chevrolet to Cadillac. Ibid. 1 Nov. 24/1 For the 1977 model year, when the first ‘downsized’ cars appear, the auto industry will increase its per-car use of aluminum by 15 to 20 lb. 1979Daily Tel. 8 Feb. 6/8 The rapid ‘downsizing’ of American cars to meet stringent new fuel economy targets. 1982J. Mackay Guinness Bk. Stamps 22/2 Van-pooling and down-sizing helped to achieve a net saving of 10 per cent in fuel costs in 1980. 1986Daily Tel. 21 Apr. 20/8 Some experts..detect a trend towards ‘downsizing’ to smaller but better equipped cars. 1986Cambrian News 18 July 14/2 The executive saloon..is abandoning the needlessly large capacity power unit in favour of a sensibly down-sized top end engine.
▸ trans. euphem. or humorous. To dismiss (a person) from employment. Freq. in pass.
1990Communication World May–June 40/3 Communicators were facing tough times on their jobs. Many were getting downsized and outplaced. 1997GQ Sept. 96/3 Just been downsized? Worried that someone may discover the bodies? 2000Sunday Times (Johannesburg) 4 June (Mag. section) 21/3 He has been downsized from his job as an airline employee and forced to retire. 2004E. Abrahamson Change without Pain iii. 97 Browning decided..that before downsizing him, he would give Green a chance to meet a particular set of goals. |