Decreasing

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  decreasing
       adj 1: becoming less or smaller [ant: {increasing}]
       2: music [ant: {increasing}]