Wordnet 3.0
ADJECTIVE (2)
1.
becoming less or smaller;
2.
music;
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Decrease \De*crease"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Decreased; p. pr. &
vb. n. Decreasing.] [OE. decrecen, fr. OF. decreistre, F.
d['e]cro[^i]tre, or from the OF. noun (see Decrease, n.),
fr. L. decrescere to grow less; de + crescere to grow. See
Crescent, and cf. Increase.]
To grow less, -- opposed to increase; to be diminished
gradually, in size, degree, number, duration, etc., or in
strength, quality, or excellence; as, they days decrease in
length from June to December.
[1913 Webster]
He must increase, but I must decrease. --John iii.
30.
Syn: To Decrease, Diminish.
Usage: Things usually decrease or fall off by degrees, and
from within, or through some cause which is
imperceptible; as, the flood decreases; the cold
decreases; their affection has decreased. Things
commonly diminish by an influence from without, or one
which is apparent; as, the army was diminished by
disease; his property is diminishing through
extravagance; their affection has diminished since
their separation their separation. The turn of
thought, however, is often such that these words may
be interchanged.
[1913 Webster]
The olive leaf, which certainly them told
The flood decreased. --Drayton.
[1913 Webster]
Crete's ample fields diminish to our eye;
Before the Boreal blasts the vessels fly.
--Pope.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Decreasing \De*creas"ing\, a.
Becoming less and less; diminishing. -- De*creas"ing*ly,
adv.
[1913 Webster]
Decreasing series (Math.), a series in which each term is
numerically smaller than the preceding term.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
decreasing
adj 1: becoming less or smaller [ant: increasing]
2: music [ant: increasing]