English

Verb

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

1. oppress, suppress, exploit, persecute, step down on; put down; denigrate, subjugate

   • 1935, The Cotton Oil Press, Vol.19, 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 (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, retrieved 2012-02-20:

     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

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)

   • Richard Armour

     Consider the lowly, downtrod worm.