lesse

v. i. To become less; to shrink; to contract; to decrease; to be diminished; as, the apparent magnitude of objects lessens as we recede from them; his care, or his wealth, lessened. [ 1913 Webster ]

The objection lessens much, and comes to no more than this: there was one witness of no good reputation. Atterbury. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Lessened p. pr. & vb. n. Lessening. ] [ From Less, a. ] To make less; to reduce; to make smaller, or fewer; to diminish; to lower; to degrade; as, to lessen a kingdom, or a population; to lessen speed, rank, fortune. [ 1913 Webster ]

Charity . . . shall lessen his punishment. Calamy. [ 1913 Webster ]

St. Paul chose to magnify his office when ill men conspired to lessen it. Atterbury.

Syn. -- To diminish; reduce; abate; decrease; lower; impair; weaken; degrade. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who, or that which, lessens. [ 1913 Webster ]

His wife . . . is the lessener of his pain, and the augmenter of his pleasure. J. Rogers (1839). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. a change downward; a decrease; a reduction.
Syn. -- decrease, drop-off. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. becoming less in dimension or degree; as, the lessening distance between us. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adv. Less. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ This word is formed by adding anew the compar. suffix -er (in which r is from an original s) to less. See Less, a. ] Less; smaller; inferior. [ 1913 Webster ]

God made . . . the lesser light to rule the night. Gen. i. 15. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Lesser is used for less, now the compar. of little, in certain special instances in which its employment has become established by custom; as, Lesser Asia (i. e., Asia Minor), the lesser light, and some others; also in poetry, for the sake of the meter, and in prose where its use renders the passage more euphonious. [ 1913 Webster ]

The more my prayer, the lesser is my grace. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The larger here, and there the lesser lambs. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

By the same reason may a man, in the state of nature, punish the lesser breaches of the law. Locke. [ 1913 Webster ]