DECREASE • FREE TRANSLATOR.ORG • Definition of Decrease

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/dɪkrˈis/ /dˈikrˌis/ Listen

noun

Decrease n.

1.

A becoming less; gradual diminution; decay; as, a decrease of revenue or of strength.

2.

The wane of the moon.

verb

Decrease v. t. To cause to grow less; to diminish gradually; as, extravagance decreases one's means. "That might decrease their present store."

Decrease v. i. (past & past part. decreased; pres. part. decreasing) 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."

Synonyms: To Decrease, Diminish. 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." "Crete's ample fields diminish to our eye; Before the Boreal blasts the vessels fly."

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Etymology of 'Decrease'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Decrease" Quotes from Famous Books

... departments seemed as desperate as after the February days; in May, business did not yet pick up; as late as June 28, the reports of the Bank of France revealed through a tremendous increase of deposits and an equal decrease of loans on exchange notes, the standstill of production; not until the middle of October did a steady improvement of business set in. The French bourgeoisie accounted for this stagnation of business with purely political ...

— The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte • Karl Marx

... great a mistake; for when insisting that the rite of baptism by water was to cease, when the spiritual administration of CHRIST began, he maintained, that John the Baptist said, 'My baptism shall decrease, but his shall increase.' Whereas the words are, 'He must increase, ...

— Life Of Johnson, Vol. 2 • Boswell, Edited by Birkbeck Hill

... of her 'criminals'. Still we fear that, for a long time at least, we shall have of them a large proportion, and that arrangements must be made for their employment. What we have already stated prove that there is no decrease as yet." ...

— A Letter from Major Robert Carmichael-Smyth to His Friend, the Author of 'The Clockmaker' • Robert Carmichael-Smyth

... out for a considerable time before they were commenced. At a place called Lackeen, in the South, they were in that state for three weeks or more, without any employment having been given. If this goes on, writes a resident of the locality, there must be an increase of coroners, and a decrease of civil engineers. "It is coffins," says another, "must now be sent into the country. I lately gave three coffins to bury some of the poor in my neighbourhood." This was bad enough; but a time was at hand when the poor had to bury ...

— The History of the Great Irish Famine of 1847 (3rd ed.) (1902) - With Notices Of Earlier Irish Famines • John O'Rourke

... the conversation well enough, and Elsie talked with a feverish interest which was too great a drain upon her meagre strength. But the stress of Doctor Sherman, which he strove to conceal, seemed to grow greater rather than decrease. ...

— Counsel for the Defense • Leroy Scott

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