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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

take down a notch en · VERB

Meanings

  1. (idiomatic, of a person or organization, transitive) To cause a person's or group's self-esteem or importance to be decreased.
    • Yet it is Gervais who has always been considered […] a quasi-"man of the people" who dares to take the elites down a notch. 2019 November 13, Adam Whites, “Banal, unfunny and not as dangerous as he thinks: It's time we stopped glorifying Ricky Gervais at the Golden Globes”, in Independent, retrieved 08 Feb 2021:
    • Confident and near-cocky for the second straight debate […] [McCain] easily deflected Romney and Giuliani attempts to take him down a notch. 2008 January 10, Mark Halperin, “The Republican Candisates: John McCain”, in Time, retrieved 08 Feb 2021:
    • Even discount superstore Wal-Mart, once considered a recession-proof business, was taken down a notch after it reported lackluster earnings last month. 2013 March 26, The Motley Fool, “Will Dollar General Make Investors 'Fistfuls of Dollars'?”, in Seattle Post-Intelligencer, retrieved 08 Feb 2021:
  2. (idiomatic, of a thing, transitive) To cause the quantity, degree, or intensity of something to be decreased.
    • [A]n increase in clouds (and a slight weakening of the heat dome overhead) may take temperatures down a notch. 2015 May 21, Jason Samenow, “Record-challenging heat likely in D.C. in May’s final week”, in Washington Post, retrieved 08 Feb 2021:
    • Veteran hotelier Ian Schrager’s new venture in Manhattan takes luxury down a notch. 2017 June 25, Eva Wiseman, “Public, New York: the five-star hotel for half the price”, in Guardian, retrieved 08 Feb 2021:
    • [M]any travel companies are holding prices steady or taking them down a notch. 2008 October 14, Michelle Higgins, “Europe Returning to Land of In-Reach”, in New York Times, retrieved 08 Feb 2021:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
took down a notch Tense=Past lexicographic
takes down a notch Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic
taken down a notch Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
taking down a notch Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic

Relateds

put someone in their place · cut down to size

Synonyms

move down a notch · bring down a notch · move down a peg · pull down a notch · knock down a peg · take down a peg · bring down a peg · knock down a notch · dial down a notch · pull down a peg

Translations (5)

pl poniżać (To cause self-esteem to decrease) · pl upokarzać (To cause self-esteem to decrease) · pl poniżyć (To cause self-esteem to decrease) · es bajarle los humos (To cause self-esteem to decrease) · pl upokorzyć (To cause self-esteem to decrease)