dial down

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “apparently related to pressure controls in a boiler”)

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dial down (third-person singular simple present dials down, present participle dialing down or dialling down, simple past and past participle dialed down or dialled down)

1. (idiomatic, transitive) To reduce or diminish in effect or intensity.

   Let's dial down the anger in this conversation.

   We felt there was too much graphic detail in the first draft, and thus asked the writer to dial it down.

• laid down