- Waning
- Wane Wane, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Waned}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Waning}.] [OE. wanien, AS. wanian, wonian, from wan, won,
deficient, wanting; akin to D. wan-, G. wahnsinn, insanity,
OHG. wan, wana-, lacking, wan?n to lessen, Icel. vanr
lacking, Goth. vans; cf. Gr. ? bereaved, Skr. ?na wanting,
inferior. ????. Cf. {Want} lack, and {Wanton}.]
[1913 Webster]
1. To be diminished; to decrease; -- contrasted with {wax},
and especially applied to the illuminated part of the
moon.
[1913 Webster]
Like the moon, aye wax ye and wane. Waning moons their settled periods keep. --Addison. [1913 Webster]
2. To decline; to fail; to sink. [1913 Webster]
You saw but sorrow in its waning form. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
Land and trade ever will wax and wane together. --Sir J. Child. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.