Part 133

It were but right And equal to reduce me to my dust.

Milton.

5. To bring into a certain order, arrangement, classification, etc.; to bring under rules or within certain limits of descriptions and terms adapted to use in computation; as, to reduce animals or vegetables to a class or classes; to reduce a series of observations in astronomy; to reduce language to rules.

6. (Arith.) (a) To change, as numbers, from one denomination into another without altering their value, or from one denomination into others of the same value; as, to reduce pounds, shillings, and pence to pence, or to reduce pence to pounds; to reduce days and hours to minutes, or minutes to days and hours. (b) To change the form of a quantity or expression without altering its value; as, to reduce fractions to their lowest terms, to a common denominator, etc.

7. (Chem.) To bring to the metallic state by separating from impurities; hence, in general, to remove oxygen from; to deoxidize; to combine with, or to subject to the action of, hydrogen; as, ferric iron is reduced to ferrous iron; or metals are reduced from their ores; -- opposed to oxidize.

8. (Med.) To restore to its proper place or condition, as a displaced organ or part; as, to reduce a dislocation, a fracture, or a hernia.

Reduced iron (Chem.), metallic iron obtained through deoxidation of an oxide of iron by exposure to a current of hydrogen or other reducing agent. When hydrogen is used the product is called also iron by hydrogen. -- To reduce an equation (Alg.), to bring the unknown quantity by itself on one side, and all the known quantities on the other side, without destroying the equation. -- To reduce an expression (Alg.), to obtain an equivalent expression of simpler form. -- To reduce a square (Mil.), to reform the line or column from the square.

Syn. -- To diminish; lessen; decrease; abate; shorten; curtail; impair; lower; subject; subdue; subjugate; conquer.

Re*duce"ment (r?*d?s"ment), n. Reduction. Milton.

Re*du"cent (r?*d?"sent), a. [L. reducens, p. pr. of reducere.] Tending to reduce. -- n. A reducent agent.

Re*du"cer (-s?r), n. One who, or that which, reduces.

Re*du"ci*ble (-s?*b'll), a. Capable of being reduced.

Re*du"ci*ble*ness, n. Quality of being reducible.

Re*du"cing (r?*d?"s?ng), a & n. from Reduce.

Reducing furnace (Metal.), a furnace for reducing ores. -- Reducing pipe fitting, a pipe fitting, as a coupling, an elbow, a tee, etc., for connecting a large pipe with a smaller one. -- Reducing valve, a device for automatically maintaining a diminished pressure of steam, air, gas, etc., in a pipe, or other receiver, which is fed from a boiler or pipe in which the pressure is higher than is desired in the receiver.

Re*duct" (r?*d?kt"), v. t.. [L. reductus, p. p. of reducere. See Reduce.] To reduce. [Obs.] W. Warde.

Re*duc`ti*bil"i*ty (r?*d?k`t?*b?l"?*t?), n. The quality of being reducible; reducibleness.

Re*duc"tion (r?*d?k"sh?n), n. [F. réduction, L. reductio. See Reduce.] 1. The act of reducing, or state of being reduced; conversion to a given state or condition; diminution; conquest; as, the reduction of a body to powder; the reduction of things to order; the reduction of the expenses of government; the reduction of a rebellious province.

2. (Arith. & Alq.) The act or process of reducing. See Reduce, v. t., 6. and To reduce an equation, To reduce an expression, under Reduce, v. t.

3. (Astron.) (a) The correction of observations for known errors of instruments, etc. (b) The preparation of the facts and measurements of observations in order to deduce a general result.

4. The process of making a copy of something, as a figure, design, or draught, on a smaller scale, preserving the proper proportions. Fairholt.

5. (Logic) The bringing of a syllogism in one of the so-called imperfect modes into a mode in the first figure.

6. (Chem. & Metal.) The act, process, or result of reducing; as, the reduction of iron from its ores; the reduction of aldehyde from alcohol.

7. (Med.) The operation of restoring a dislocated or fractured part to its former place.

Reduction ascending (Arith.), the operation of changing numbers of a lower into others of a higher denomination, as cents to dollars. -- Reduction descending (Arith.), the operation of changing numbers of a higher into others of a lower denomination, as dollars to cents.

Syn. -- Diminution; decrease; abatement; curtailment; subjugation; conquest; subjection.

Re*duc"tive (-t?v), a. [Cf. F. réductif.] Tending to reduce; having the power or effect of reducing. -- n. A reductive agent. Sir M. Hale.

Re*duc"tive*ly, adv. By reduction; by consequence.