| 单词 | to water down |
| 释义 | > as lemmasto water down to water down 1. transitive. a. Often depreciative. To weaken in force, impact, or quality; to make more moderate; = sense 9b. Cf. watered-down adj. 1 and slightly earlier milk-and-water v. 1. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > manner of action > lack of violence, severity, or intensity > make less violent or severe [verb (transitive)] > weaken (something immaterial) to thin off, downc900 feeblea1340 allayc1450 debilite1483 mollify1496 weak1502 geld?1507 water1529 appale?1530 labefact?1539 debilitate1541 mortify1553 effeeble1571 dilutea1575 soften1576 unsinew1599 melt1600 infringe1604 weaken1609 unbenda1616 dissinew1640 slacken1663 thin1670 resolve1715 imbecilitate1809 imbecile1829 to let down1832 to water down1832 the world > relative properties > quantity > decrease or reduction in quantity, amount, or degree > reduce in quantity, amount, or degree [verb (transitive)] > tone down temperc1000 modifyc1385 softenc1410 tame?a1500 qualify1536 temperatea1540 extenuate1561 supple1609 dilute1665 palliate1665 weaken1683 subdue1723 lower1780 modulate1783 to shade away1817 to water down1832 to water down1836 sober1838 veil1843 to tone down1847 to break down1859 soothe1860 tone1884 to key down1891 soft-pedal1912 society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > weakness or feebleness > weaken [verb (transitive)] water1529 emasculate1608 wire-draw1660 to water down1832 to write down1876 sanitize1934 pasteurize1951 saccharinize1971 1832 Guardian & Public Ledger 20 Nov. Insolence is watered down into expostulation. 1833 W. Palmer Remarks Arnold's Princ. Church Reform 19 Let these portions of our doctrine be expunged, or remodelled, or watered down... And what will be the result? 1879 J. A. Froude Cæsar iii. 29 Still less had the Roman citizens an inclination to..see the value of their votes watered down. 1919 W. Crooke in Man 19 23 The ordeal has been so watered down that the risk to life or limb is merely nominal. 1967 Freedomways 7 133 The horrors of slavery are watered down and sketchily covered so as not to enrage the complacent black student. 2014 Age (Melbourne) (Nexis) 5 Apr. (Spectrum section) 4 I never water down the language in my picture books, in fact I spice it up. b. To dilute or adulterate with water; = sense 9a. Cf. watered-down adj. 2. ΘΚΠ the world > food and drink > drink > preparation of drinks > [verb (transitive)] > dilute or adulterate watera1387 brew1520 geld1668 to water down1866 reface1887 cut1930 the world > matter > liquid > making or becoming liquid > action or process of dilution > dilute [verb (transitive)] thinc1000 woke1377 watera1387 allayc1450 delay1543 dilute1691 lower1698 to water down1866 cut1930 1866 W. Reid After War 554 Many of them spent half their earnings buying whisky. That sold on the plantation was always watered down at least one-fourth. 1899 National Stockman & Farmer 25 May 198 These men much prefer the richer milk, since they can remove some of the fat and ship it, or water the milk down to the legal standard. 1917 South Amer. Feb. 14/2 I presume it is watered down to 50 per cent strong to make liquors, but the Indians always drink their alcohol pure. 1980 Guardian 8 Jan. 2/3 The sacking of several publicans for allegedly watering down beer. 2003 I. Banks Raw Spirit (2004) v. 102 Too much of even the best whisky had been..watered down. 2. transitive. To pour water over (ashes, dust, earth, etc.) in order to settle or soften it. Also: to sprinkle or pour water on (a road, pavement, or other piece of ground) to settle the dust; = sense 11b. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > quantity > decrease or reduction in quantity, amount, or degree > reduce in quantity, amount, or degree [verb (transitive)] > tone down temperc1000 modifyc1385 softenc1410 tame?a1500 qualify1536 temperatea1540 extenuate1561 supple1609 dilute1665 palliate1665 weaken1683 subdue1723 lower1780 modulate1783 to shade away1817 to water down1832 to water down1836 sober1838 veil1843 to tone down1847 to break down1859 soothe1860 tone1884 to key down1891 soft-pedal1912 the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > cleaning > cleaning streets > clean streets [verb (transitive)] > sprinkle with water to lay dust water1525 to water down1836 1836 Penny Cycl. V. 408/1 The clay and ashes thus mixed together are ‘watered down’, by water being thrown over them with a wooden scoop. 1847 Maine Farmer 24 June 1/3 Gyspum or green vitriol, both of which are excellent ‘fixins’, should be added with every fresh layer of the above materials, and watered down as before. 1858 C. Peltier Let. 10 Apr. in Jrnl. Proc. Common Council Detroit (1859) 68/1 The earth excavated to be refilled, watered down and settled. 1942–3 Ann. Rep. (Tea Sci. Dept.) 12 From one of these sections, all the ash remaining after burning was removed while in the other the ash was watered down. 2009 S. Yost How to keep your Classic Tractor Alive viii. 93/2 General purpose spraying, whether you're applying orchard spray..or simply watering down a dusty road. < as lemmas |
| 随便看 |
英语词典包含1132095条英英释义在线翻译词条，基本涵盖了全部常用单词的英英翻译及用法，是英语学习的有利工具。