1
general::
Phrase(s): scale something down
to reduce the size or cost of something. • The bad economy forced us to scale the project down. • Liz scaled down the project.
McGrawhill's American Idioms And Phrasal Verbs
2
general::
Reduce the size or cost of, as in The owners decided to scale down wages. This expression, along with the related scale up, which refers to an increase, alludes to scale in the sense of "a fixed standard." [Late 1800s]
American Heritage Idioms