The family needed to reduce costs by moving to a smaller house.
synonyms
cut downlessonlowerdecrease
word origin — late Middle English: from Latin reducere, from re- ‘back, again’ + ducere ‘bring, lead’. The original sense was ‘bring back’ (hence ‘restore’, now surviving in reduce (sense 5)); this led to ‘bring to a different state’, then ‘bring to a simpler or lower state’ (hence reduce (sense 3)); and finally ‘diminish in size or amount’ (reduce (sense 1), dating from the late 18th century)
Intermediate — Set 72
Set 72 of Intermediate covers 5 words: reduce, confuse, disgust, depend, destroy. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.
reduce · verb/rəˈdus/
to make something less in amount
The family needed to reduce costs by moving to a smaller house.
Synonyms: cut down, lesson, lower, decrease
Origin: late Middle English: from Latin reducere, from re- ‘back, again’ + ducere ‘bring, lead’. The original sense was ‘bring back’ (hence ‘restore’, now surviving in reduce (sense 5)); this led to ‘bring to a different state’, then ‘bring to a simpler or lower state’ (hence reduce (sense 3)); and finally ‘diminish in size or amount’ (reduce (sense 1), dating from the late 18th century)
confuse · verb/kənˈfjuz/
to make a person feel they do not understand something
The discovery of a new language was an amazing discovery, but it confused the archaeologists because they could not read it.
Synonyms: complicate, distract
Origin: Middle English (in the sense ‘rout, bring to ruin’): from Old French confus, from Latin confusus, past participle of confundere ‘mingle together’ (see confound). Originally all senses of the verb were passive, and therefore appeared only as the past participle confused; the active voice occurred rarely until the 19th century when it began to replace confound
disgust · verb/dəˈskəst/
not to like something (a strong feeling)
Even just the thought of reptiles really disgusts me!
Synonyms: disturb, upset, bother
Origin: late 16th century: from early modern French desgoust or Italian disgusto, from Latin dis- (expressing reversal) + gustus ‘taste’
depend · verb/dəˈpɛnd/
to rely on or be influenced by something or someone else
Our children's future will depend on the decisions made concerning the new education system.
Synonyms: count on, rely on
Origin: late Middle English(in depend (sense 3); also in the sense ‘wait or be in suspense’): from Old French dependre, from Latin dependere, from de- ‘down’ + pendere ‘hang’
destroy · verb/dəˈstrɔɪ/
to cause destruction or devastation
It is thought that the expected earthquake will destroy the whole city.
Synonyms: ruin, spoil, devastate
Origin: Middle English: from Old French destruire, based on Latin destruere, from de- (expressing reversal) + struere ‘build’