SLOW DOWN

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does slow down mean? 

• SLOW DOWN (verb)
  The verb SLOW DOWN has 5 senses:

1. lose velocity; move more slowly

2. become slow or slower

3. cause to proceed more slowly

4. reduce the speed of

5. become less tense, rest, or take one's ease

  Familiarity information: SLOW DOWN used as a verb is common.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SLOW DOWN (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Lose velocity; move more slowly

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

decelerate; retard; slow; slow down; slow up

Context example:

The car decelerated

Hypernyms (to "slow down" is one way to...):

decrease; diminish; fall; lessen (decrease in size, extent, or range)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "slow down"):

slow; slow down; slow up (cause to proceed more slowly)

delay; detain; hold up (cause to be slowed down or delayed)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

slowdown (the act of slowing down or falling behind)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Become slow or slower

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

slack; slacken; slow; slow down; slow up

Context example:

Production slowed

Hypernyms (to "slow down" is one way to...):

weaken (become weaker)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s

Derivation:

slowdown (the act of slowing down or falling behind)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Cause to proceed more slowly

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

slow; slow down; slow up

Context example:

The illness slowed him down

Hypernyms (to "slow down" is one way to...):

decelerate; retard; slow; slow down; slow up (lose velocity; move more slowly)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "slow down"):

bog; bog down (cause to slow down or get stuck)

clog; constipate (impede with a clog or as if with a clog)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

slowdown (the act of slowing down or falling behind)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Reduce the speed of

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

decelerate; slow down

Context example:

He slowed down the car

Hypernyms (to "slow down" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "slow down"):

moderate (make less fast or intense)

retard (cause to move more slowly or operate at a slower rate)

fishtail (slow down by moving the tail sideways)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

slowdown (the act of slowing down or falling behind)

Sense 5

Meaning:

Become less tense, rest, or take one's ease

Classified under:

Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care

Synonyms:

decompress; loosen up; relax; slow down; unbend; unwind

Context example:

Let's all relax after a hard day's work

Hypernyms (to "slow down" is one way to...):

change state; turn (undergo a transformation or a change of position or action)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "slow down"):

vege out; vegetate (engage in passive relaxation)

sit back; take it easy (settle into a comfortable sitting position)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody's (body part) ----s

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue slow down

 Context examples 

Slow down if you feel a cold may be coming on.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

They slow down and trigger cell fusion respectively at key moments.

(Researchers Discovered Proteins Essential to Development of Skeletal Muscle, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

While these drugs cannot cure dementia or repair brain damage, they may improve symptoms or slow down the disease.

(Dementia, NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

Based on these findings, the scientists suggest that selectively blocking the SGLT-1 receptor could provide a way to slow down glucose uptake to prevent or treat cardiometabolic disease and its consequences.

(Gene mutation points to new way to fight diabetes, obesity, heart disease, National Institutes of Health)

The blood flow can slow down, go in the wrong direction or to the wrong place, or be blocked completely.

(Congenital Heart Defects, NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

A substance found in soybeans that may slow down or stop the spread of cancer.

(Autoclave-resistant factor, NCI Dictionary)

If you have low bone mass, there are things you can do to help slow down bone loss.

(Bone Density, NIH: National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)

Initially, the front dune moved faster than the back dune, but as the experiment continued, the front dune began to slow down, until the two dunes were moving at almost the same speed.

(Sand dunes can ‘communicate’ with each other, University of Cambridge)

The drugs inhibit the ability of the virus to multiply in the body, and they slow down the development of AIDS.

(HAART, NCI Dictionary)

You can slow down kidney damage or keep it from getting worse.

(Diabetic Kidney Problems, NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)