talk down

verb

1. belittle through talk (Freq. 1)

• Hypernyms: ↑minimize, ↑belittle, ↑denigrate, ↑derogate

• Verb Frames:

-

Somebody ——s something

-

Somebody ——s somebody

2. speak in a condescending manner, as if to a child

-

He talks down to her

• Hypernyms: ↑talk, ↑speak

• Verb Frames:

-

Something ——s to somebody

3. direct and control (the flight of an airplane during landing) via radio

-

the control tower talked down the plane whose pilot fell ill

• Hypernyms: ↑direct

• Verb Frames:

-

Somebody ——s somebody

-

Something ——s somebody

* * *

talk down [phrasal verb]

1 talk down to (someone) : to talk to (someone) in an overly simple way which suggests that he or she is not intelligent

Many politicians are guilty of talking down to voters.

Don't talk down to me. I'm not stupid.

2 talk down (something or someone) or talk (something or someone) down

2 a : to describe (something or someone) as unimportant

He talked down [=downplayed] his accomplishments.

2 b : to cause (the price of something) to be lower by talking to someone

She managed to talk down his asking price for the car.

: to convince (someone) to lower the price of something

She talked him down 500 dollars.

3 talk (someone) down : to convince (someone who is standing on a high place and threatening to jump) to come down and not to commit suicide

He tried to talk her down from the ledge. [=to convince her to not jump from the ledge]

— sometimes used figuratively

He was about to quit his job in anger, but she managed to talk him down. [=to convince him not to do it]

• • •

Main Entry: ↑talk