(1)缩(减)小(少)(make or become smaller in size，number，etc)[T+n，T+n+prep(from)(to/by)]：～expense/wage/income/price/allowance/speed 降低费用/工资/收入/价格/津贴/速度; ～weight/volume/quantity 减少重量/容量/数量;～pressure 减轻压力;The shirt was greatly～d from its original price. 这件衬衣大减价。～the amount/the price to 70 per cent 把数量减少/价格降至70%;～one's weight from 60 to 50 kilos 将自己的体重从60公斤减到50公斤;～the amount/the price by 10 per cent/one-half 减少数量的/价格的10%/一半;The work force would have to be～d from 13，000 to 7500. 工人总数将从13，000人削减到7500人。〖同〗lessen，cut;〖反〗increase;

(2)变苗条(瘦)((cause to)lose excess weight)[I](尤AmE)(infml)：I must～to get into that dress. 为穿上那身套裙，我必须减肥。It is easy to～if you simply watch what you eat. 你只要注意一下饮食，就容易减肥了。

(3)使陷入(某种状态)(change(a person，thing，etc)into another，usually worse state，form and condition，etc)[通常pass：T+n+prep(from，to)](fml)：～sb to tears/silence/despair 使某人落泪/肃静/绝望;～sb to discipline/obedience/reason 使某人守纪律/顺从/神智正常;be～d to eating grass and leaves/to stealing/to begging/to beggary 沦为吃草根和树叶/偷窃/乞讨/赤贫;The bombs (Windstorms)～d the city to ruins/the house to a shambles. 那些炸弹(那场风暴)使那座城市变成废墟/那所房屋东倒西歪。A succession of bad harvest～d the small farmers to penury. 连年的欠收使那些小农们陷于困境。His extravagance～d him from plenty to poverty. 他的奢侈使他从富裕变为贫穷。〖同〗damage，bring down，force，lower;

(4)简化，归纳(set out systematically as an aid to understanding;simplify)[T+n+prep(to)]：～the problem (argument) to its simplest form/two facts 把问题(论点)归纳为最简单的形式/两个事实;～the days to hours/the pounds to pence 把天数折合成小时/英镑折合成便士;～sb's objections/sb's statement to writing 把某人的反对意见/陈述写下来;

(5)降级(职)(lower the rank or status of)[T+n+prep(to)，T+n+prep(from，to)]：be～d to the ranks 被降为普通士兵;The military court～d the major to captain. 军事法庭把那名少校降为上尉。〖反〗promote;

→ re′ducible adj 可缩减(简化)的;re′duction n 减少(小);简化;归纳;减少的量;缩小的东西(地图等);

【辨异】reduce与decrease、diminish和shrink的区别见DECREASE。