réduisaient

The French verb "réduisaient" is the imperfect indicative third-person plural form of the verb "réduire." This verb generally translates to "to reduce," "to lessen," "to decrease," or "to shrink." In the context of the imperfect tense, "réduisaient" describes ongoing, habitual, or repeated actions in the past, or a state of being in the past.

For example, if one were to say "Les prix réduisaient lentement," it would mean "The prices were slowly reducing" or "The prices were habitually reducing." The imperfect tense emphasizes the duration or continuity of the action rather than a completed event. It can also be used to set the scene in a narrative, describing conditions that existed in the past.

The verb "réduire" itself has several nuances. It can refer to making something smaller in size, quantity, or intensity. It can also imply a simplification or a reduction to a more basic form. In specific contexts, it might mean to subdue, to overcome, or to confine. Therefore, the precise meaning of "réduisaient" would depend heavily on the surrounding sentence and the overall context of the discourse. It is a common verb in French, frequently encountered in both spoken and written language to describe past occurrences of reduction or decrease.