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}.
[1913 Webster]
Not diminish, but rather increase, the debt.
--Barrow.
[1913 Webster]
2. To lessen the authority or dignity of; to put down; to
degrade; to abase; to weaken.
[1913 Webster]
This doth nothing diminish their opinion. --Robynson
(More's
Utopia).
[1913 Webster]
I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule
over the nations. --Ezek. xxix.
15.
[1913 Webster]
O thou . . . at whose sight all the stars
Hide their diminished heads. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
3. (Mus.) To make smaller by a half step; to make (an
interval) less than minor; as, a diminished seventh.
[1913 Webster]
4. To take away; to subtract.
[1913 Webster]
Neither shall ye diminish aught from it. --Deut. iv.
2.
[1913 Webster]
{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}.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
diminished
adj 1: impaired by diminution [syn: {diminished}, {lessened},
{vitiated}, {weakened}]
2: (of an organ or body part) diminished in size or strength as
a result of disease or injury or lack of use; "partial
paralysis resulted in an atrophied left arm" [syn:
{atrophied}, {wasted}, {diminished}] [ant: {enlarged},
{hypertrophied}]
3: (of musical intervals) reduction by a semitone of any perfect
or minor musical interval; "a diminished fifth"
4: made to seem smaller or less (especially in worth); "her
comments made me feel small" [syn: {belittled}, {diminished},
{small}]
|