Thesaurus: lessen

Related headwords

Definitions

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. v. decrease in size, extent, or range
4. v. make become smaller
5. v. wear off or die down
6. 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. Charity . . . shall lessen his punishment. Calamy. 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. 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. The objection lessens much, and comes to no more than this: there was one witness of no good reputation. Atterbury.
7. To make less; to reduce; to make smaller, or fewer; todiminish; to lower; to degrade; as, to lessen a kingdom, or apopulation; to lessen speed, rank, fortune.Charity . . . shall lessen his punishment. Calamy.St. Paul chose to magnify his office when ill men conspired to lessenit. Atterbury.
8. v:100 v decrease in size, extent, or range v make smaller v wear off or die down