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lessenmore about lessen

lessen


  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Lessen  \Less"en\  (l[e^]s"'n),  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Lessened} 
  (-'nd);  p.  pr  &  vb  n.  {Lessening}.]  [From  {Less},  a.] 
  To  make  less  to  reduce;  to  make  smaller,  or  fewer;  to 
  diminish;  to  lower;  to  degrade;  as  to  lessen  a  kingdom,  or  a 
  population;  to  lessen  speed,  rank,  fortune. 
 
  Charity  .  .  .  shall  lessen  his  punishment.  --Calamy. 
 
  St  Paul  chose  to  magnify  his  office  when  ill  men 
  conspired  to  lessen  it  --Atterbury. 
 
  Syn:  To  diminish;  reduce;  abate;  decrease;  lower;  impair; 
  weaken;  degrade. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Lessen  \Less"en\,  v.  i. 
  To  become  less  to  shrink;  to  contract;  to  decrease;  to  be 
  diminished;  as  the  apparent  magnitude  of  objects  lessens  as 
  we  recede  from  them  his  care  or  his  wealth,  lessened. 
 
  The  objection  lessens  much  and  comes  to  no  more  than 
  this:  there  was  one  witness  of  no  good  reputation. 
  --Atterbury. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  lessen 
  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}, 
  {diminish},  {fall}]  [ant:  {increase}] 
  2:  make  smaller;  "He  decreased  his  staff"  [syn:  {decrease},  {minify}] 
  [ant:  {increase}] 
  3:  sink  or  fall  to  a  lower  level;  "The  pain  subsided"  [syn:  {subside}] 




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