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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Diminish \Di*min"ish\, verb (used with an object) [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}.
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 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}.
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
diminished
adjective
1: impaired by diminution [syn: {lessened}, {vitiated}, {weakened}]
2: (of an organ or body part) diminished in size or strength as a result of disease or injury or lack of use; "partial paralysis resulted in an atrophied left arm" [syn: {atrophied}, {wasted}] [ant: {hypertrophied}]
3: (of musical intervals) reduction by a semitone of any perfect or minor musical interval; "a diminished fifth"
4: made to seem smaller or less (especially in worth); "her comments made me feel small" [syn: {belittled}, {small}]
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Definitions retrieved from local copies of the freely distributed DICT client/server software and databases. Click here for database copyright information. - KM |