diminish

present singular third person diminishes · participle present diminishing · participle past diminished · past diminished

1. transitiveTo make smaller.

   The existence of many nations and national characters is part of the cultural wealth of mankind, and there is no reason to seek to diminish their number.

   1978 [1976], Leszek Kołakowski, translated by P[aul] S[teven] Falla, Main Currents of Marxism, volume II: The Golden Age, Oxford: Clarendon Press, translation of Główne nurty marksizmu: rozwój (in Polish), →ISBN, →OCLC, page 287

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   The threat of terrorism to the British lies in the overreaction to it of British governments. Each one in turn clicks up the ratchet of surveillance, intrusion and security. Each one diminishes liberty.

   2012 December 14, Simon Jenkins, “We mustn't overreact to North Korea boys' toys”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 2, page 23

2. intransitiveTo become less or smaller.

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   Whether modern, industrial man is less or more warlike than his hunter-gatherer ancestors is impossible to determine.[…]One thing that is true, though, is that murder rates have fallen over the centuries, as policing has spread and the routine carrying of weapons has diminished. Modern society may not have done anything about war. But peace is a lot more peaceful.

   2013 July 20, “Old soldiers?”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845

   In the latter years of its existence, BR was rationalising its estate by pulling down station buildings which were too large for its modern operational needs, or by shutting off parts of them when demolition was not an option. Kilmarnock station falls into this latter category. It dominates the townscape, but its operational importance has seriously diminished since electrification of the West Coast Main Line.

   2021 December 15, Robin Leleux, “Awards honour the best restoration projects: The Bam Nuttall Partnership Award: Kilmarnock”, in RAIL, number 946, page 58

3. transitiveTo make appear smaller than in reality; to dismiss as unimportant.

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   Although British involvement in the slave trade prior to 1807 cannot be denied, or its effects diminished, it is also a fact that the Royal Navy was pretty much the only force in the world in the 19th century with the numbers, drive, willingness, firepower, and capability to curtail the global slave trade, and that, without these efforts, many more would no doubt have been taken to slave plantations and other such destinations during the 19th, and possibly even into the 20th, centuries, as it must be remembered that a great many European powers would only begrudgingly commit to ending the slave trade when the other option was continuous war with the British Empire.

   2018 December 1, Drachinifel, 11:37 from the start, in Anti-Slavery Patrols - The West Africa Squadron, archived from the original on 29 Nov 2024

4. transitiveTo lessen the authority or dignity of; to put down; to degrade; to abase; to weaken; to nerf (in gaming).

   1639, Ralph Robinson (translator), Utopia by Thomas More, London, Book 2, “Of their journying or travelling abroad,” p. 197, […] this doth nothing diminish their opinion.

   3 more examples

   It shall be the basest of the kingdoms; neither shall it exalt itself any more above the nations: for I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ezekiel 29:15

   O thou, that, with surpassing glory crowned, Lookest from thy sole dominion like the God Of this new world; at whose sight all the stars Hide their diminished heads; to thee I call,

   1674, John Milton, Paradise Lost^(https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Paradise_Lost_(1674)/Book_IV), Book 4, lines 32-35

   In Seth’s presence Mr Biswas felt diminished. Everything about Seth was overpowering: his calm manner, his smooth grey hair, his ivory holder, his hard swollen forearms […]

   1961, V. S. Naipaul, chapter 3, in A House for Mr Biswas, London: André Deutsch

5. intransitiveTo taper.

   The chair and table legs diminished as they neared the ground, and were straight and square in all their corners.

   1853, Elizabeth Gaskell, chapter 8, in Cranford, London: J.M. Dent, published 1904, page 120

6. intransitiveTo disappear gradually.

   ‘Good evening, good evening,’ Father Rank called. His stride lengthened and he caught a foot in his soutane and stumbled as he went by. ‘A storm’s coming up,’ he said. ‘Got to hurry,’ and his ‘ho, ho, ho’ diminished mournfully along the railway track, bringing no comfort to anyone.

   1948, Graham Greene, The Heart of the Matter, Penguin, published 1971, Part Two, Chapter 2, 1, p. 77

7. transitiveTo take away; to subtract.

   Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.

   1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Deuteronomy 4:2