Decrease

Decrease De*crease", v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Decreased}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Decreasing}.] [OE. decrecen, fr. OF. decreistre, F. d['e]cro[^i]tre, or from the OF. noun (see {Decrease}, n.), fr. L. decrescere to grow less; de + crescere to grow. See {Crescent}, and cf. {Increase}.] To grow less, -- opposed to increase; to be diminished gradually, in size, degree, number, duration, etc., or in strength, quality, or excellence; as, they days decrease in length from June to December. [1913 Webster]

He must increase, but I must decrease. --John iii. 30.

Syn: To {Decrease}, {Diminish}.

Usage: Things usually decrease or fall off by degrees, and from within, or through some cause which is imperceptible; as, the flood decreases; the cold decreases; their affection has decreased. Things commonly diminish by an influence from without, or one which is apparent; as, the army was diminished by disease; his property is diminishing through extravagance; their affection has diminished since their separation their separation. The turn of thought, however, is often such that these words may be interchanged. [1913 Webster]

The olive leaf, which certainly them told The flood decreased. --Drayton. [1913 Webster]

Crete's ample fields diminish to our eye; Before the Boreal blasts the vessels fly. --Pope. [1913 Webster]

The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Synonyms:

Diminish (gradually), lessen, wane, decline, ebb, subside, dwindle, contract, abate, grow less, Diminish, lessen, retrench, curtail, reduce, lower, make less, Diminution, lessening, decrement, reduction, wane or waning, declension, decline, ebb, ebbing, subsidence, contraction, abatement

Look at other dictionaries:

decrease — I noun abatement, abbreviation, abridgment, alleviation, attenuation, constriction, contraction, curtailment, cut, cutback, deceleration, declension, declination, decline, decline and fall, decrement, decrescence, deduction, deflation, deminutio … Law dictionary
decrease — vb Decrease, lessen, diminish, reduce, abate, dwindle denote to make or grow less, but they are not freely interchangeable. Decrease and lessen are often employed in place of any of the others. Decrease normally retains, even in the transitive,… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
decrease — [dē krēs′, dikrēs′; ] also, & for n. usually [, dē′krēs΄] vi., vt. decreased, decreasing [ME decresen < OFr decreistre < L decrescere < de , from, away + crescere, grow: see CRESCENT] to become or cause to become less, smaller, etc.;… … English World dictionary
Decrease — De*crease , n. [OE. decrees, OF. decreis, fr. decreistre. See {Decrease}, v.] 1. A becoming less; gradual diminution; decay; as, a decrease of revenue or of strength. [1913 Webster] 2. The wane of the moon. Bacon. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Decrease — De*crease , v. t. To cause to grow less; to diminish gradually; as, extravagance decreases one s means. [1913 Webster] That might decrease their present store. Prior. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
decrease — [n] diminishing, lessening abatement, compression, condensation, constriction, contraction, cutback, decline, declining, decrescence, depression, diminution, discount, downturn, dwindling, ebb, falling off, loss, reduction, shrinkage, striction,… … New thesaurus
decrease — is pronounced with stress on the first syllable as a noun and on the second syllable as a verb … Modern English usage
decrease — ► VERB ▪ make or become smaller or fewer in size, amount, intensity, or degree. ► NOUN 1) an instance of decreasing. 2) the process of decreasing. ORIGIN Latin decrescere, from crescere grow … English terms dictionary
decrease — I UK [diːˈkriːs] / US [dɪˈkrɪs] verb Word forms decrease : present tense I/you/we/they decrease he/she/it decreases present participle decreasing past tense decreased past participle decreased ** Other ways of saying decrease: be/go/come down to… … English dictionary
decrease — ▪ I. decrease de‧crease 2 [ˈdiːkriːs] noun [countable, uncountable] the process of reducing something, or the amount by which it reduces: decrease in • The government announced a 25% decrease in the price of fuel. decrease of • Industrial… … Financial and business terms

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Decrease

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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

Decrease

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