downtrod

English

Etymology 1

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.

Etymology 2

From down- +‎ trod.

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.