minimize
verb(British English also minimise)
- minimize something
to reduce something, especially something bad, to the lowest possible level 使减少到最低限度 Good hygiene helps to minimize the risk of infection. 保持清洁有助于最大限度地减少感染的危险。 Costs were minimized by using plastic instead of leather. 用塑料代替皮革使成本降到最低。
Extra ExamplesThe proposals are designed to minimize waste and encourage recycling. 这些建议旨在最大限度地减少浪费，鼓励回收利用。 measures to help minimize the effects of the recession 帮助减少经济衰退影响的措施 to pay the cheapest possible rent in order to minimize costs 支付尽可能便宜的租金以降低成本 They worked at night in order to minimize the disruption. 为尽可能减少干扰，他们在晚上工作。
- minimize something
to try to make something seem less important than it really is 降低；贬低；使显得不重要 He always tried to minimize his own faults, while exaggerating those of others. 他总是试图对自己的错误轻描淡写，对别人的错误夸大其词。
- minimize something
to make something small, especially on a computer screen （尤指在计算机屏幕上）使最小化