rebajar

to reduce

to lose weight

rebajar(rreh-bah-hahr)

transitive verb

1. (to decrease an amount)

a. to reduce

En enero rebajaron un 50% el precio de todos los artículos deportivos.

In January they reduced the price of all sports goods by 50%.

b. to bring the price down

Costaba $100 pero nos lo rebajó a $75.

It cost $100 but he brought the price down to $75.

c. to lower

Los bancos centrales respondieron rebajando sus tipos de interés.

The central banks responded by lowering their interest rates.

d. to cut

Nunca cumplieron su promesa electoral de rebajar los impuestos.

They never fulfilled their campaign pledge of cutting taxes.

2. (to decrease the time)

a. to reduce (sentencia)

A muchos presos le rebajan la pena por buen comportamiento.

Many prisoners have their sentence reduced for good behavior.

b. to lower (age)

Una de sus propuestas fue la de rebajar la edad de jubilación a los 60 años.

One of their proposals was that of lowering retirement age to 60.

3. (to decrease the height)

a. to lower (land)

Tuvieron que rebajar los terrenos antes de iniciar la construcción.

They had to lower the land before starting the construction.

b. to depress (an arc)

En el siglo XVI se rebajó el arco y se colocó el escudo imperial.

In the 16th century the arc was depressed and the imperial emblem was put in place.

4. (to weaken)

a. to dilute

Añadiré agua a la sopa para rebajarla un poco.

I'll add some water to the soup to dilute it a bit.

b. to thin (paint)

Si quieres rebajar la pintura, solo tienes que agregarle solvente.

If you want to thin the paint, just add some solvent to it.

c. to tone down (a color)

Para rebajar los colores suelo utilizar diluyente.

I normally use thinner to tone down the colors.

d. to cut (a drug)

Muchos traficantes rebajan la cocaína con azúcar o bicarbonato.

Many dealers cut cocaine with sugar or bicarbonate.

5. (to reduce weight)

a. to lose

Ya rebajé 5 kilos con la dieta que me recomendaste.

I've already lost 5 kilos with the diet you recommended.

6. (to lower in rank)

a. to relegate

Plutón ha sido rebajado a la categoría de planeta enano.

Pluto has been relegated to the category of dwarf planet.

7. (to put down)

a. to humiliate

Su esposo la rebajó frente a toda su familia.

Her husband humiliated her in front of his whole family.

8. (military)

a. to exempt

Como secretario del teniente coronel, estaba rebajado de guardias.

Being the wing commander's secretary, he was exempted from guard duties.

intransitive verb

9. (to slim) (River Plate)

a. to lose weight

Esta es una buena dieta para rebajar.

This is a good diet for losing weight.

rebajarse

pronominal verb

10. (to humiliate oneself)

a. to lower oneself

A eso no pienso ni contestarte. Sería rebajarme a tu nivel.

I'm not even replying to that. It'd be lowering myself to your level.

b. to humble oneself

No sé cómo puede rebajarse ante ese hombre.

It escapes me how she can humble herself before that man.

c. to stoop

No pienso rebajarme a pedirle que se quede.

I'm not going to stoop to ask her to stay.

11. (to have cut in layers) (River Plate)

a. to layer

Helena fue a cortarse las puntas y a rebajarse el pelo.

Helena went to trim her hair and to have it layered.

12. (military)

a. to be exempt

Pidió permiso para rebajarse del servicio mientras su esposa se recuperaba.

He asked to be exempt from the service while his wife recovered.