when music is too loud you turn it down (turn the volume down) when information has to be given to people who aren't very clever, you dumb it down. It's kind of, "simplifying it" like Susan said, but it has a more critical edge to it, because you're saying your audience is stupid. "Dumb" is an American word for, "stupid". Actually, I think, "dumb" is an old term which was used to categorise a medical condition, "Deaf and dumb" - "Deaf, dumb and blind". People have probably replaced the word, "dumb" with something more, "politically correct" like, "mentally challenged" or having, "severe learning disabilities". It's like the word, "spastic" has been removed from it's former popular use, not sure what it's replaced by now? Disabled person? I don't know. But the section of text which you posted is talking about the irritation someone is feeling because someone else uses the word, "basically" too many times. I knew someone like that, and I hated it too. I thought well if this is your basic explanation, give me the complicated or thorough version, I'll bet you it's the same as the basic one haha Ahhhh people.......... arseholes :D

dumbing down= making so simple that a child can understand In a teaching subject, 'dumbing down' would mean watering down the content or simplifying the concepts which need to be taught.

Simplifying

"he is basically dumbing down the conversation so the stupid person listening might understand." 1. he simplified the conversation so the stupid person listening might understand. 2. he made the conversation easy so....

I have nervously read the various explanations here and have to say that "to dumb down" does not mean it is simplified for stupid people or children - only. It can mean that but when you meet a molecular biologist, or a asto-physisist or indeed any expert who wants to discuss his expertise - a computer programmer - they will simplify the language so that you understand. This does not mean that the person being spoken to is stupid, just that they are not an expert. In fact often when I speak English with non-native speakers they say they can understand me quite well - better often than others. I consciously "dumb down" or simplify my language to best understand their level of comprehension. This does not mean they are stupid - it just means that I respect the conversation more than my own importance perhaps.........