Anagrams of: DEAERATING

• cause to seem less serious; play down

• charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone

• a writer (especially a playwright) who writes tragedies

• an actor who specializes in tragic roles

• emptying something accomplished by allowing liquid to run out of it

• a step in walking or running

• the grooved surface of a pneumatic tire

• the part (as of a wheel or shoe) that makes contact with the ground

• structural member consisting of the horizontal part of a stair or step

• put down or press the foot, place the foot

• tread or stomp heavily or roughly

• crush as if by treading on

• brace (an archer's bow) by pressing the foot against the center

• apply (the tread) to a tire

• mate with (used of male birds)

• any of various shrubs and small trees of the genus Gardenia having large fragrant white or yellow flowers

• a graded change in the magnitude of some physical quantity or dimension

• the property possessed by a line or surface that departs from the horizontal

• lower the rated electrical capability of electrical apparatus