re·duc·tion (r -d k sh n)n. 1. The act or process of reducing. 2. The result of reducing: a reduction in absenteeism. 3. The amount by which something is lessened or diminished: a reduction of 12 percent in violent crime. 4. Biology The first meiotic division, in which the chromosome number is reduced. Also called reduction division. 5. Chemistry a. A decrease in positive valence or an increase in negative valence by the gaining of electrons. b. A reaction in which hydrogen is combined with a compound. c. A reaction in which oxygen is removed from a compound. 6. Mathematics a. The canceling of common factors in the numerator and denominator of a fraction. b. The converting of a fraction to its decimal equivalent. c. The converting of an expression or equation to its simplest form. [Middle English reduccion, restoration, from Old French reduction, from Latin reducti  , reductin-, from reductus, past participle of red cere, to bring back; see reduce.]re·duc tion·al adj. |
reduction [rɪˈdʌkʃən]
n
1. the act or process or an instance of reducing
2. the state or condition of being reduced
3. the amount by which something is reduced
4. a form of an original resulting from a reducing process, such as a copy on a smaller scale
5. a simplified form, such as an orchestral score arranged for piano
6. (Mathematics) Maths
a. the process of converting a fraction into its decimal form
b. the process of dividing out the common factors in the numerator and denominator of a fraction; cancellation
reductive adj
| reduction (r-dkshn) 1. The changing of a fraction into a simpler form, especially by dividing the numerator and denominator by a common factor. For example, the fraction 8/12 can be reduced to 4/6 , which can be further reduced to 2/3 , in each case by dividing both the numerator and denominator by 2. 2. A chemical reaction in which an atom or ion gains electrons, thus undergoing a decrease in valence. If an iron atom having a valence of +3 gains an electron, the valence decreases to +2. Compare oxidation. Usage Beginning students of chemistry are understandably puzzled by the term reduction: shouldn't a reduced atom or ion be one that loses electrons rather than gains them? The reason for the apparent contradiction comes from the early days of chemistry, where reduction and its counterpart, oxidation, were terms invented to describe reactions in which one substance lost an oxygen atom and the other substance gained it. In a reaction such as that between two molecules of hydrogen (2H2) and one of oxygen (O2) combining to produce two molecules of water (2H2O), the hydrogen atoms have gained oxygen atoms and were said to have become "oxidized," while the oxygen atoms have (as it were) lost them by attaching themselves to the hydrogens, and were said to have become "reduced." Importantly, though, in the process of gaining an oxygen atom, the hydrogen atoms have had to give up their electrons and share them with the oxygen atoms, while the oxygen atoms have gained electrons. Thus comes the apparent paradox that the "reduced" oxygen has in fact gained something, namely electrons. Today the terms oxidation and reduction are used of any reaction, not just one involving oxygen, where electrons are (respectively) lost or gained. |
The creation of lanes through a minefield or obstacle to allow passage of the attacking ground force.
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
| Noun | 1. |  reduction - the act of decreasing or reducing somethingchange of magnitude - the act of changing the amount or size of something cut - the act of reducing the amount or number; "the mayor proposed extensive cuts in the city budget" mitigation, moderation - the action of lessening in severity or intensity; "the object being control or moderation of economic depressions" lowering - the act of causing to become less cutback - a reduction in quantity or rate devaluation - the reduction of something's value or worth devitalisation, devitalization - the act of reducing the vitality of something mitigation, palliation, extenuation - to act in such a way as to cause an offense to seem less serious alleviation, easement, easing, relief - the act of reducing something unpleasant (as pain or annoyance); "he asked the nurse for relief from the constant pain" de-escalation - (war) a reduction in intensity (of a crisis or a war) minimisation, minimization - the act of reducing something to the least possible amount or degree or position depletion - the act of decreasing something markedly shortening - act of decreasing in length; "the dress needs shortening" shrinking - the act of becoming less subtraction, deduction - the act of subtracting (removing a part from the whole); "he complained about the subtraction of money from their paychecks" deflation - the act of letting the air out of something rollback - reducing prices back to some earlier level weakening - the act of reducing the strength of something depreciation - a decrease in price or value; "depreciation of the dollar against the yen" contraction - the act of decreasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope reverse split, reverse stock split, split down - a decrease in the number of outstanding shares of a corporation without changing the shareholders' equity amortisation, amortization - the reduction of the value of an asset by prorating its cost over a period of years declassification - reduction or removal by the government of restrictions on a classified document or weapon tax shelter, shelter - a way of organizing business to reduce the taxes it must pay on current earnings tax credit - a direct reduction in tax liability (not dependent on the taxpayer's tax bracket) |
| 2. | reduction - any process in which electrons are added to an atom or ion (as by removing oxygen or adding hydrogen); always occurs accompanied by oxidation of the reducing agent chemical reaction, reaction - (chemistry) a process in which one or more substances are changed into others; "there was a chemical reaction of the lime with the ground water" | |
| 3. | reduction - the act of reducing complexity change - the action of changing something; "the change of government had no impact on the economy"; "his change on abortion cost him the election" schematisation, schematization - the act of reducing to a scheme or formula |
reduction
noun
1. decrease, lowering, lessening, minimizing, diminution a future reduction in interest rates
2. cut, cutting, trimming, pruning, cutback, scaling down, depletion a new strategic arms reduction agreement
3. discount, concession, slash (informal), price cut, markdown Reductions of 10-15 per cent are common on these package holidays.
Translations
reduction [rɪˈdʌkʃən] N
1. (in size, number, costs, expenditure) → reducción f
a 15% reduction in costs → una reducción del 15% por ciento en los costes
there has been no reduction in demand → no ha disminuido la demanda
we have had to make reductions in the budget → hemos tenido que recortar el presupuesto
a 15% reduction in costs → una reducción del 15% por ciento en los costes
there has been no reduction in demand → no ha disminuido la demanda
we have had to make reductions in the budget → hemos tenido que recortar el presupuesto
3. (Mil) (in rank) → degradación f
4. (= simplification) → reducción f
6. (Math) → reducción f
7. (Chem) → reducción f
reduction [rɪˈdʌkʃən] n
(in cost, number, amount, staff, risk, demand, spending) → réduction f; (in crime, violence, interest rates, income tax, price) → baisse f
a reduction in sth [+ cost, number, amount, staff, demand, spending] → une réduction de qch; [+ crime, violence, interest rates, income tax, price] → une baisse de qch
a reduction in sth [+ cost, number, amount, staff, demand, spending] → une réduction de qch; [+ crime, violence, interest rates, income tax, price] → une baisse de qch
reduction
n
no pl (→ etw gen) → Reduzierung f, → Reduktion f, → Verringerung f; (in speed) → Reduzierung f, → Verlangsamung f; (in authority) → Schwächung f; (in standards, temperatures) → Herabsetzung f, → Reduzierung f; (in prices) → Ermäßigung f, → Herabsetzung f, → Reduzierung f; (in taxes, costs) → Senkung f; (in expenses, wages) → Kürzung f; (in value) → Minderung f; (in size) → Verkleinerung f; (= shortening) → Verkürzung f; (in output) → Drosselung f, → Reduzierung f; (in scale of operations) → Einschränkung f; (of goods, items) → Herabsetzung f; (of fever) → Senkung f; (of joint) → Wiedereinrenken nt; to make a reduction on an article → einen Artikel heruntersetzen; reduction for cash → Preisabschlag m → bei Barzahlung; reduction of taxes → Steuersenkung f; reduction in rank → Degradierung f
(to another state, Chem) → Reduktion f; (Math) → Zerlegung f (→ to in +acc); reduction of something to powder/to a pulp → Zermahlung f → einer Sache (gen) → zu Pulver/zu Brei
(= amount reduced) (→ etw gen) (in pressure, temperature, output) → Abnahme f, → Rückgang m; (of speed) → Verlangsamung f; (in size) → Verkleinerung f; (in length) → Verkürzung f; (in taxes) → Nachlass m; (in prices) → Ermäßigung f; (Jur: of sentence) → Kürzung f; (of swelling) → Rückgang m; to sell (something) at a reduction → etw verbilligt verkaufen, etw zu ermäßigtem Preis verkaufen; what a reduction! → wie billig!; reduction in strength → Nachlassen nt → der Kräfte
(= copy) → Verkleinerung f
reduction [rɪˈdʌkʃ/ən] n (see vt a) → riduzione f, diminuzione f
reductions for cash → sconto per (il pagamento in) contanti
reductions for cash → sconto per (il pagamento in) contanti
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