0 to talk to someone as if they are less intelligent than you or not important: --
I wish politicians wouldn't talk down to us as if we were idiots.
1 to talk to someone as if they were less important than you: --
Secretarial staff are most likely to be talked down to.
NYA ORD
European
May 10, 2021
DAGENS ORD
Shimmer
talk down to sb