diminishing

Adjective

WordNet 3.0

Adjective (1)

becoming smaller or less or appearing to do so“diminishing returns”“his diminishing respect for her”

Webster's Dictionary (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]