downtrod

English

Etymology

Back-formation from downtrodden; see downtread.

Verb

downtrod (third-person singular simple present downtrods, present participle downtrodding, simple past downtrod, past participle downtrodden)

1. (US) to oppress, suppress, exploit, persecute, step down on; put down; denigrate, subjugate

   Synonym: downtread

   • 1935, The Cotton Oil Press, Vol.19‎^[1], Digitized edition, published 2009, page 36:

     And I don't know of any manufacturer or any industry that wants to downtrod the farmer.

   • 1967, The AOPA pilot: Volume 10, Part 1‎^[2] (Aeronautics), Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, page 64:

     I've heard wicked rumors that FAA and wives try to downtrod small aircraft pilots.

   • 2009 July 11, JF, comment, “Top House Republican slams Obama over stimulus, jobs”, in CNN‎^[3], archived from the original on 17 February 2012:

     And having an entire group of people constantly waiting in the wings to downtrod even the slightest POSITIVE moves does not help matters.

Adjective

downtrod (comparative more downtrod, superlative most downtrod)

1. (archaic or poetic) downtrodden; abused by superior power
   • c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:

     I will lift the downtrod Mortimer

   • 1942, Richard Armour, Yours for the Asking: A Book of Light Verse:

     Consider the lowly, downtrod worm.

References

• “downtrod”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “downtrod”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.