slow down
English
[edit]Pronunciation
[edit]Audio (Southern England): (file)
Verb
[edit]slow down (third-person singular simple present slows down, present participle slowing down, simple past and past participle slowed down)
- (intransitive) To decelerate.
- When approaching a bend in the road, slow down, and speed up after leaving it.
- 1954 August, J. B. Snell, “The New Zealand Government Railways—2”, in Railway Magazine, page 562:
- Crossing stations on single lines are laid out so that one line has a straight run through, and is signalled in each direction, avoiding the need to slow down to take the turnout into the loop.
- 1967, Barbara Sleigh, Jessamy, Sevenoaks, Kent: Bloomsbury, published 1993, →ISBN, page 7:
- When the long, hot journey drew to its end and the train slowed down for the last time, there was a stir in Jessamy’s carriage.
- 2021 October 6, Greg Morse, “A need for speed and the drive for 125”, in RAIL, number 941, page 48:
- Then came the war... and everything slowed down.
- (transitive) To reduce the velocity, speed, or tempo of something.
- With a comfortable lead, the football team slowed down the tempo of the game.
- 1958 September, “Swindon's First Main-Line Diesel Locomotive”, in Railway Magazine, page 603:
- A "passenger/goods" cock is provided in each cab, by which, when placed in the "goods" position, the normal proportional brake application is slowed down. This is for use when hauling an unbraked or partially braked train, and prevents the unbraked stock from running into the locomotive or braked portion of the train with violence.
- 1977, Loleatta Holloway, “Runaway”, in Magic Journey:
- Oh, run away / You better not hesitate / Better hurry, don't wait now / Run away / Before you find it's too late / 'Cause you know how love slows you down
- 2013 June 1, “Ideas coming down the track”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8838, page 13 (Technology Quarterly):
- A “moving platform” scheme […] is more technologically ambitious than maglev trains even though it relies on conventional rails. […] This set-up solves several problems […]. Stopping high-speed trains wastes energy and time, so why not simply slow them down enough for a moving platform to pull alongside?
- 2023 March 8, Howard Johnston, “Was Marples the real railway wrecker?”, in RAIL, number 978, page 52:
- The elimination of vacuum-braked wagons would be slowed down, and the Western Region's flirtation with diesel-hydraulic locomotives was questioned.
- (transitive, intransitive, figuratively) To become less intense, enthusiastic, etc., usually with a positive connotation, implying that one is stripped of exaggerated or unnecessary eagerness.
- Whoa, slow down there, bucko. Everyone will get a chance. Be patient.
Synonyms
[edit]Antonyms
[edit]Derived terms
[edit]Translations
[edit](intransitive) to decelerate
(transitive) to reduce speed
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