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Webster 1913 Edition


Diminish

Di-min′ish

,
Verb.
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.
Syn. – To decrease; lessen; abate; reduce; contract; curtail; impair; degrade. See
Decrease
.

Di-min′ish

,
Verb.
I.
To become or appear less or smaller; to lessen;
as, the apparent size of an object
diminishes
as we recede from it
.

Webster 1828 Edition


Diminish

DIMINISH

,
Verb.
T.
[L., to lessen; less.]
1.
To lessen; to make less or smaller, by any means; opposed to increase and augment; as, to diminish the size of a thing by contraction, or by cutting off a part; to diminish a number by subtraction; to diminish the revenue by limiting commerce, or reducing the customs; to diminish strength or safety; to diminish the heat of a room. It is particularly applied to bulk and quantity, as shorten is to length.
2.
To lessen; to impair; to degrade.
I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations. Ezekiel 29.
3.
In music, to take from a note by a sharp, flat or natural.
To diminish from, to take away something.
Neither shall you diminish aught from it Deuteronomy 4.

DIMINISH

,
Verb.
I.
To lessen; to become or appear less or smaller. The size of an object diminishes, as we recede from it.

Definition 2024


diminish

diminish

English

Verb

diminish (third-person singular simple present diminishes, present participle diminishing, simple past and past participle diminished)

  1. (transitive) To make smaller.
  2. (intransitive) To become smaller.
    • 2013 July 20, Old soldiers?”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845:
      Whether modern, industrial man is less or more warlike than his hunter-gatherer ancestors is impossible to determine. [] One thing that is true, though, is that murder rates have fallen over the centuries, as policing has spread and the routine carrying of weapons has diminished. Modern society may not have done anything about war. But peace is a lot more peaceful.
  3. To lessen the authority or dignity of; to put down; to degrade; to abase; to weaken; to nerf (in gaming).
    • Robynson (More's Utopia)
      This doth nothing diminish their opinion.
    • Bible, Ezekiel xxix. 15
      I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations.
    • Milton
      O thou [] at whose sight all the stars / Hide their diminished heads.
  4. (intransitive) To taper.
  5. (intransitive) To disappear gradually.
  6. To take away; to subtract.
    • Bible, Deuteronomy iv. 2
      Neither shall ye diminish aught from it.

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations