diminish Meaning, Definition & Usage

verb decrease in size, extent, or range
fall; decrease; lessen.
- The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester
- The cabin pressure fell dramatically
- her weight fell to under a hundred pounds
- his voice fell to a whisper
verb lessen the authority, dignity, or reputation of
belittle.
- don't belittle your colleagues

Pref. di- (= L. dis-) + minish: cf. L. diminuere, F. diminuer, OE. diminuen. See Dis-, and Minish.

imperfect & past participle Diminished ; present participle & verbal noun Diminishing

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.
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.
(Mus.) To make smaller by a half step; to make (an interval) less than minor; as, a diminished seventh.
To take away; to subtract.
Neither shall ye diminish aught from it. Deut. iv. 2.
Syn. -- To decrease; lessen; abate; reduce; contract; curtail; impair; degrade. See Decrease.

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