to decrease in size

См. также в других словарях:

• 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},… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

• decrease — [dē krēs′, dikrēs′; ] also, & for n. usually [, dē′krēs΄] vi., vt. decreased, decreasing [ME decresen < OFr decreistre < L decrescere < de , from, away + crescere, grow: see CRESCENT] to become or cause to become less, smaller, etc.;… …   English World dictionary

• decrease — ► VERB ▪ make or become smaller or fewer in size, amount, intensity, or degree. ► NOUN 1) an instance of decreasing. 2) the process of decreasing. ORIGIN Latin decrescere, from crescere grow …   English terms dictionary

• decrease — {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun ADJECTIVE ▪ dramatic, drastic, great, large, marked, sharp, significant, substantial ▪ There has been a sharp decrease in pollution sinc …   Collocations dictionary

• decrease — decreases, decreasing, decreased (The verb is pronounced [[t]dɪkri͟ːs[/t]]. The noun is pronounced [[t]di͟ːkriːs[/t]].) 1) V ERG When something decreases or when you decrease it, it becomes less in quantity, size, or intensity. [V by amount]… …   English dictionary

• size — noun 1 how big or small sth is ADJECTIVE ▪ considerable, enormous, fair, good, great, impressive, large, massive, substantial, vast …   Collocations dictionary

• decrease — I. verb (decreased; decreasing) Etymology: Middle English decreessen, from Anglo French decrestre, from Latin decrescere, from de + crescere to grow more at crescent Date: 14th century intransitive verb to grow progressively less (as in size,… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

• decrease — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) Diminution Nouns 1. (decrease in amount) decrease, diminution; lessening, subtraction (see deduction); reduction, abatement; shrinking, contraction, extenuation; cut back, discount. See shortness. 2.… …   English dictionary for students

• decrease — v. /di krees /; n. /dee krees, di krees /, v., decreased, decreasing, n. v.i. 1. to diminish or lessen in extent, quantity, strength, power, etc.: During the ten day march across the desert their supply of water decreased rapidly. v.t. 2. to make …   Universalium

• decrease — 1 verb (I, T) to go down to a lower level, or to make something do this: In the last ten years cars have generally decreased in size. | making further efforts to decrease military spending opposite increase 1 decreasing adjective 2 noun (C, U)… …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

• decrease — de•crease v. [[t]dɪˈkris[/t]] n. [[t]ˈdi kris, dɪˈkris[/t]] v. creased, creas•ing, n. 1) to lessen, esp. by degrees, as in extent, quantity, strength, or power; diminish 2) to make less; cause to diminish 3) the act or process of decreasing;… …   From formal English to slang