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(), v. t.[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, or Diminishing, scale, a scale of gradation used i Dimin"ish v. i.To become or appear less or smaller; to lessen; as, the apparent size of an object diminishes as we recede from it. スポンサード リンク
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