Diminish

v. t. [imp. & p. p. DIMINISHED (di-min'-isht); p. pr. & vb. n. DIMINISHING.] [Lat. diminu-ere, from di, for dis, and minuere, to lessen, from minor, minus, less, compar. of parvus, little; It. diminuire, Pr., Sp., & Pg. diminuir, Fr. diminuer.]

1Sense 1. To make smaller in any manner; to reduce in bulk or amount; to lessen; to abate.

Not diminish, but rather increase, the debt. Barrow.

2Sense 2. To lessen the authority or dignity of; to put down; to degrade; to abase.

I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations. Ezek. xxix. 15.

Hide their diminished heads. Milton.

3Sense 3. (Mus.) To make smaller by a semitone, as an interval.

4Sense 4. To take away; to subtract.

Neither shall you diminish aught from it. Deut. iv. 2.

Diminished arches (Arch.), those lower or less than a semicircle.—Diminished column, one whose upper diameter is less than the lower.—Diminished scale, a scale of gradation used in finding the different points for drawing the spiral curve of the Ionic volute. Gwilt.

Synonyms—To decrease; lessen; abate; liquidate; reduce; impair; degrade. See DECREASE.

v. i. To become or appear less or smaller; to lessen; as, the apparent size of an object diminishes as we recede from it.