Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

take down a notch

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.77 in modern English

Syllables: take -down a notch
IPA

27

Scrabble Score

14

Letters

2

Syllables

10

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To cause a person's or group's self-esteem or importance to be decreased.

Transitive verb

verb

To cause the quantity, degree, or intensity of something to be decreased.

Transitive verb

Example Sentences

"Confident and near-cocky for the second straight debate […] [McCain] easily deflected Romney and Giuliani attempts to take him down a notch."
"Yet it is Gervais who has always been considered […] a quasi-"man of the people" who dares to take the elites down a notch."
"Even discount superstore Wal-Mart, once considered a recession-proof business, was taken down a notch after it reported lackluster earnings last month."
"[M]any travel companies are holding prices steady or taking them down a notch."
"[A]n increase in clouds (and a slight weakening of the heat dome overhead) may take temperatures down a notch."
"Veteran hotelier Ian Schrager’s new venture in Manhattan takes luxury down a notch."

Usage

Transitive verb

Inflected Forms

takes down a notch (present, singular) taking down a notch (participle, present) took down a notch (past) taken down a notch (participle, past)

Phrases

cut down to size put someone in their place

Frequently Paired Words

cut down to size put someone in their place

Synonyms

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

Questions

What does take down a notch mean?: To cause a person's or group's self-esteem or importance to be decreased.

How to pronounce take down a notch

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “take down a notch”.
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