1. (v. t.) To make smaller in any manner; to reduce in bulk or amount; to lessen; -- opposed to augment or increase.

2. (v. t.) To lessen the authority or dignity of; to put down; to degrade; to abase; to weaken.

3. (v. t.) To make smaller by a half step; to make (an interval) less than minor; as, a diminished seventh.

4. (v. t.) To take away; to subtract.

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

abase abash abate abbreviate ablate abrade abridge abstract abuse adjust to allay alleviate allow for alter anesthetize appease assuage attemper attenuate bank the fire bate be eaten away belittle benumb blunt boil down box in bring down bring low chasten cheapen circumscribe clip close color compress condense condition confine constrain constrict consume consume away contract control corrode crop crumble crush curtail cushion cut cut back cut down damp dampen de-emphasize deaden deaden the pain debase decline decrease deduct deflate degrade deliquesce demean deprecate depreciate depress derogate desiccate detract detract from devalue die away die out discredit dismiss disparage dispraise dive dock downgrade downplay drain draw in drift away droop drop drop off dry up dull dump dump on dwindle ease ease matters ease off eat away ebb erode extenuate extract fade fade away fall fall away fall off file away flag foment give relief gloss over go go away go in hedge hedge about humiliate ignore impair keep within bounds languish lay leach leaven lenify lessen let up lighten limit lop lower lull make allowance for melt away mince minify minimize mitigate moderate modify modulate mollify move away move off narrow numb obtund pad palliate pare peter out pine play down plummet plunge poultice pour balm into pour oil on prune pull away purify put down qualify recede reduce reduce the temperature refine regulate by reject relieve remove restrain restrict retire retreat retrench retrocede roll back rub away run low sag salve scale down sear season set conditions set down set limits shorten shrink shrivel simplify sink slacken slake slow down slur over smother snape sober sober down soft-pedal soften soothe stand off step down stifle straiten stupe subduct subdue subside subtract suppress tail off take away take down take from tame taper taper off temper thin thin out tone down trip up truncate tune down underplay varnish vitiate wane waste waste away weaken wear wear away weed whitewash widen the distance wilt wind down withdraw wither wizen write off