Di‐min″ish (?), 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, orDiminishing, scale, a scale of gradation used in finding the different points for drawing the spiral curve of the volute. Gwilt. — Diminishing rule(Arch.), a board cut with a concave edge, for fixing the entasis and curvature of a shaft. — Diminishing stile(Arch.), a stile which is narrower in one part than in another, as in many glazed doors.
Syn. — To decrease; lessen; abate; reduce; contract; curtail; impair; degrade. See Decrease.