 |
| Date: | 1800-1900 |
| Origin: | de- + inflate |
Related topics:1 [intransitive and transitive] if a tyre, balloon etc deflates, or if you deflate it, it gets smaller because the gas inside it comes out [≠ inflate; ↪ go down, let down]
2 [transitive] to make someone feel less important or less confident : 
She was deflated when Fen made no comment on her achievement.
She was deflated when Fen made no comment on her achievement.3 [transitive] to show that a statement, argument etc is wrong : Simkin hoped to find a way to deflate his opponent's argument.
Simkin hoped to find a way to deflate his opponent's argument.4 [intransitive and transitive]PE technical to change economic rules or conditions in a country so that prices fall or stop rising
