deflate
Translation
to deflate, to let the air out, to dishearten
Examples
You need to deflate the tires a little.
You need to deflate the tyres a little.
His criticism completely deflated her.
His criticism completely deflated her.
The government tried to deflate the economy.
The government tried to deflate the economy.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) to deflate (sth.) You need to deflate the tires a little.
((sb.)) to deflate (sb.) His criticism completely deflated her.
Similar Words
Synonyms: shrink, collapse, discourage; Antonyms: inflate, expand, encourage
Etymology
From the prefix de- (away, down) + inflate. Literally 'to un-inflate'.
Memory Tips
Think of the opposite of 'inflate'. The prefix 'de-' often means removal or reversal. Remove the air.