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diminish

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diminish

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Diminish  \Di*min"ish\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Diminished};  p.  pr 
  &  vb  n.  {Diminishing}.]  [Pref.  di-  (=  L.  dis-)  +  minish:  cf 
  L.  diminuere  F.  diminuer  OE  diminuen.  See  {Dis-},  and 
  {Minish}.] 
  1.  To  make  smaller  in  any  manner;  to  reduce  in  bulk  or 
  amount;  to  lessen;  --  opposed  to  {augment}  or  {increase}. 
 
  Not  diminish,  but  rather  increase,  the  debt. 
  --Barrow. 
 
  2.  To  lessen  the  authority  or  dignity  of  to  put  down  to 
  degrade;  to  abase;  to  weaken. 
 
  This  doth  nothing  diminish  their  opinion.  --Robynson 
  (More's 
  Utopia). 
 
  I  will  diminish  them  that  they  shall  no  more  rule 
  over  the  nations.  --Ezek.  xxix. 
  15. 
 
  O  thou  .  .  .  at  whose  sight  all  the  stars  Hide  their 
  diminished  heads.  --Milton. 
 
  3.  (Mus.)  To  make  smaller  by  a  half  step;  to  make  (an 
  interval)  less  than  minor;  as  a  diminished  seventh 
 
  4.  To  take  away  to  subtract. 
 
  Neither  shall  ye  diminish  aught  from  it  --Deut.  iv 
  2. 
 
  {Diminished  column},  one  whose  upper  diameter  is  less  than 
  the  lower. 
 
  {Diminished},  or  {Diminishing},  {scale},  a  scale  of  gradation 
  used  in  finding  the  different  points  for  drawing  the 
  spiral  curve  of  the  volute.  --Gwilt. 
 
  {Diminishing  rule}  (Arch.),  a  board  cut  with  a  concave  edge, 
  for  fixing  the  entasis  and  curvature  of  a  shaft. 
 
  {Diminishing  stile}  (Arch.),  a  stile  which  is  narrower  in  one 
  part  than  in  another,  as  in  many  glazed  doors. 
 
  Syn:  To  decrease;  lessen;  abate;  reduce;  contract;  curtail; 
  impair;  degrade.  See  {Decrease}. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Diminish  \Di*min"ish\,  v.  i. 
  To  become  or  appear  less  or  smaller;  to  lessen;  as  the 
  apparent  size  of  an  object  diminishes  as  we  recede  from  it 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  diminish 
  v  1:  decrease  in  size,  extent,  or  range;  "The  amount  of  homework 
  decreased  towards  the  end  of  the  semester";  "The  cabin 
  pressure  fell  dramatically";  "her  weight  fall  to  under  a 
  hundred  pounds";  "his  voice  fell  to  a  whisper"  [syn:  {decrease}, 
  {lessen},  {fall}]  [ant:  {increase}] 
  2:  lessen  the  authority,  dignity,  or  reputation  of  "don't 
  belittle  your  colleagues"  [syn:  {belittle}]




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