take down a notch

take down a notch (third-person singular simple present takes down a notch, present participle taking down a notch, simple past took down a notch, past participle taken down a notch)

1. (transitive, idiomatic, of a person or organization) To cause a person's or group's self-esteem or importance to be decreased.
   • 2008 January 10, Mark Halperin, “The Republican Candisates: John McCain”, in Time‎, retrieved February 8, 2021:

     Confident and near-cocky for the second straight debate […] [McCain] easily deflected Romney and Giuliani attempts to take him down a notch.

   • 2019 November 13, Adam Whites, “Banal, unfunny and not as dangerous as he thinks: It's time we stopped glorifying Ricky Gervais at the Golden Globes”, in Independent‎, retrieved February 8, 2021:

     Yet it is Gervais who has always been considered […] a quasi-"man of the people" who dares to take the elites down a notch.

   • 2013 March 26, The Motley Fool, “Will Dollar General Make Investors 'Fistfuls of Dollars'?”, in Seattle Post-Intelligencer‎, retrieved February 8, 2021:

     Even discount superstore Wal-Mart, once considered a recession-proof business, was taken down a notch after it reported lackluster earnings last month.

2. (transitive, idiomatic, of a thing) To cause the quantity, degree, or intensity of something to be decreased.
   • 2008 October 14, Michelle Higgins, “Europe Returning to Land of In-Reach”, in New York Times‎, retrieved February 8, 2021:

     [M]any travel companies are holding prices steady or taking them down a notch.

   • 2015 May 21, Jason Samenow, “Record-challenging heat likely in D.C. in May’s final week”, in Washington Post‎, retrieved February 8, 2021:

     [A]n increase in clouds (and a slight weakening of the heat dome overhead) may take temperatures down a notch.

   • 2017 June 25, Eva Wiseman, “Public, New York: the five-star hotel for half the price”, in Guardian‎, retrieved February 8, 2021:

     Veteran hotelier Ian Schrager’s new venture in Manhattan takes luxury down a notch.

• cut down to size
• put someone in their place