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water down
verb
- to dilute or weaken with water
- to modify or adulterate, esp so as to omit anything harsh, unpleasant, or offensive
to water down the truth
Derived Forms
- ˌɲٱ-ˈǷɲ, adjective
Idioms and Phrases
Dilute or weaken, as in He watered down that unfavorable report with feeble excuses . [Mid-1800s]Example Sentences
He had severe chest pain, was unable to keep food or even water down and kept "chucking up bile".
Campaigners expressed concerns that officials had amended the bill to water down potential sanctions for officials.
In recent history, we can see numerous potentially popular progressive initiatives that were sidelined, suppressed or watered down through a combination of conservative fear-mongering and establishment resistance.
Some island states also abstained and said the deal was a watered down version of what they hoped for.
However, this pledge was then watered down, with Labour's manifesto only promising to consult on proposals for an alternative second chamber.
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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