Thesaurus: diminish

Related headwords

Definitions

1. v. t. To make smaller in any manner; to reduce in bulk or amount; to lessen; -- opposed to augment or increase.
2. v. t. To lessen the authority or dignity of; to put down; to degrade; to abase; to weaken.
3. v. t. To make smaller by a half step; to make (an interval) less than minor; as, a diminished seventh.
4. v. t. To take away; to subtract.
5. v. i. To become or appear less or smaller; to lessen; as, the apparent size of an object diminishes as we recede from it.
6. v. decrease in size, extent, or range
7. v. lessen the authority, dignity, or reputation of
8. 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. Diminished column, one whose upper diameter is less than the lower. -- Diminished, 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. To become or appear less or smaller; to lessen; as, the apparent size of an object diminishes as we recede from it.
9. To make smaller by a half step; to make (an interval) less thanminor; as, a diminished seventh.
10. v:100 v. lessen the authority, dignity, or reputation of