From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
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.
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Not diminish, but rather increase, the debt.
--Barrow.
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2. To lessen the authority or dignity of; to put down; to
degrade; to abase; to weaken.
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This doth nothing diminish their opinion. --Robynson
(More's
Utopia).
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I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule
over the nations. --Ezek. xxix.
15.
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O thou . . . at whose sight all the stars
Hide their diminished heads. --Milton.
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3. (Mus.) To make smaller by a half step; to make (an
interval) less than minor; as, a diminished seventh.
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4. To take away; to subtract.
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Neither shall ye diminish aught from it. --Deut. iv.
2.
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Diminished column, one whose upper diameter is less than
the lower.
Diminished scale, 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.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
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.
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From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [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 fell to under a
hundred pounds"; "his voice fell to a whisper" [syn:
decrease, diminish, lessen, fall] [ant: increase]
2: lessen the authority, dignity, or reputation of; "don't
belittle your colleagues" [syn: diminish, belittle]