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📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Minimise: Definition, Usage & Common Mistakes (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：reduce to the least (minimise)

minimise 🔊

/ˈmɪn.ɪ.maɪz/

vt.

to make something bad as small and unimportant as possible.

Minimise meaning illustrated: person reducing noise in a library setting.

reduce to the least 🔊

➕

/rɪˈdjuːs tə ðə liːst/

vt.

This refers to the action of decreasing something, typically something negative, to its smallest possible amount or degree.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'minimus' (least) + '-ise' (verb suffix), meaning 'to make least'.

💡 Mnemonic

MINI-MISE sounds like 'mini-size' - make it mini!

📖 Example

In the library, we should speak softly to minimise noise and not disturb others. 🔊 We should use quiet voices in the library to keep noise to a minimum and avoid bothering other people.

🔗 Collocations

minimise risk – to reduce potential danger or negative outcomes to the lowest level

minimise damage – to lessen the harmful effects as much as possible

minimise impact – to reduce the influence or effect of something

🔄 Synonyms

reduce (vt.) – to make something smaller in size, amount, or degree

lessen (vt.) – to make something smaller or weaker

mitigate (vt.) – to make something less severe, harmful, or painful

🚫 Antonyms

maximise (vt.) – to make something as great as possible

amplify (vt.) – to make something larger, louder, or stronger

🌱 Derivatives

minimisation (n.) – the action of making something as small as possible

minimiser (n.) – a person or thing that minimises something

📖 Cultural Story

The term entered English in the 17th century from Latin. In modern business and project management culture, 'minimising risk' is a core principle, shaping decision-making and strategy.

Meaning 2：iconify a window (minimise)

minimise 🔊

/ˈmɪn.ɪ.maɪz/

vt.

to make a computer window shrink into a small icon at the bottom or side of the screen.

iconify a window 🔊

➕

/ˈaɪ.kə.naɪ ə ˈwɪn.doʊ/

vt.

This is a specific computing action where you shrink an open application window down to a small icon, usually on the taskbar or dock, without closing it.

📁 Category：Technological Inventions 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

I need to focus on writing, so I'll minimise my music player and social media tabs for now. 🔊 To concentrate on my writing task, I will temporarily shrink my music player and social media browser windows down to icons.

🔗 Collocations

minimise the window – to iconify a specific application window

minimise all windows – to iconify every open window on the desktop (show desktop)

minimise button – the control (often a dash or underscore) used to iconify a window

🔄 Synonyms

hide (vt.) – to conceal a window from view without quitting the application (common in macOS terminology)

iconify (vt.) – the technical term for turning a window into an icon

🚫 Antonyms

maximise (vt.) – to expand a window to fill the entire screen

restore (vt.) – to return a minimised or maximised window to its previous, standard size