to filter down
5
4.6
- phrasal verb
:
filtrarse
- One must be willing to allow some of the benefits of prosperity to filter down.
Instead, it says, cultures change because elites come up with ideas that then filter down into the culture.
- Instead, it says, cultures change because elites come up with ideas that then filter down into the culture.
Examples
-
Often the lower costs do filter down to the bottom line of increased profits.
Blog text (31) -
As a researcher, Kraft made contributions so fundamental that they have filtered down into introductory astronomy textbooks.
Academic text (2005) -
Everything comes from the great ones; everything filters down from them.
Academic text (2000) -
Family first, and everything filters down from that.
Blog text (32) -
So by the time it filters down to the average person, that money has has exchanged hands several times.
-
Historically, high profit levels have filtered down to employees as companies have shared their success.
Blog text (20) -
Instead, it says, cultures change because elites come up with ideas that then filter down into the culture.
-
The idea has filtered down to some of the states, among them Georgia, Arizona, and New York.
Blog text (29) -
But will such an understanding filter down to first-line professionals, such as classroom teachers?
Academic text (2008) -
New policies often take time to filter down to the employees at the lowest levels of the company.
Synonyms
129
3.5
Make a list of choices smaller until only a few remain
8
8.3
To choose the most important parts from a larger group
2
6.5
Make a large list smaller by removing worse choices
Antonyms
How Widely
Surface Forms
Morphology
The sense of information or selections 'passing through' to lower levels is a straightforward composition of 'filter' (to pass through/remove unwanted parts) and 'down' (to a lower level). This motion/transfer metaphor is common and predictable, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
The phrasal verb filter down comes from the image of a filter letting liquid or small bits pass slowly into a lower container, so things move down to lower levels. That's why it means 'to become known or available to more people lower in a group' and also 'to reduce a list of choices', because only some things pass through the filter.