grind down
Slowly wear out
To grind down is to wear away gradually through friction or persistent pressure.
Physically, you grind down a rough edge until it's smooth.
More often the phrase describes wearing someone out through relentless difficulty: Years of poverty had ground them down.
The grinding may be deliberate—an oppressor grinds down the oppressed—or simply the cumulative effect of hardship.
exhaust
Use up entirely
dominate · break · demoralize · weaken · suppress · coerce · erode · persecute · tyrannize · stifle
wear
Carry on person
- abrasionShallow surface wound
- frictionResistance between touching surfaces
- weatheringAtmospheric breakdown of materials
corrosion · deterioration · abrade · scour · chafe · rubbing · smooth · polish · sandpaper · crumble
grind downbuild up
Grow by increments
empower · uplift · strengthen · bolster · fortify
grind downannihilate
Destroy completely, leaving nothing
obliterate · demolish · shatter · wipe out · crush
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