DIMINISH

diminish. Diminish, v. to lessen, decrease, decay, degrade

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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. 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. 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. 3. (Mus.) To make smaller by a half step; to make (an interval) less than minor; as, a diminished seventh.
4. 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.