Hypertext Webster Gateway: "decrease"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Decrease \De*crease"\, v. t.
To cause to grow less; to diminish gradually; as,
extravagance decreases one's means.
That might decrease their present store. --Prior.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
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.
2. The wane of the moon. --Bacon.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
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.
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.
The olive leaf, which certainly them told The
flood decreased. --Drayton.
Crete's ample fields diminish to our eye; Before
the Boreal blasts the vessels fly. --Pope.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
decrease
n 1: a change downward; "there was a sharp drop-off in sales"
[syn: {lessening}, {drop-off}] [ant: {increase}]
2: a process of becoming smaller [syn: {decrement}] [ant: {increase},
{increase}]
3: the amount by which something decreases [syn: {decrement}]
[ant: {increase}]
4: the act of decreasing or reducing something [syn: {diminution},
{reduction}, {step-down}] [ant: {increase}]
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: {diminish},
{lessen}, {fall}] [ant: {increase}]
2: make smaller; "He decreased his staff" [syn: {lessen}, {minify}]
[ant: {increase}]
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