Part 3124

<h1>Dimidiation</h1> <Xpage=413>

<hw>Di*mid`i*a"tion</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>dimidiatio</ets>.]</ety> <def>The act of dimidiating or halving; the state of being dimidiate.</def>

<h1>Diminish</h1> <Xpage=413>

<hw>Di*min"ish</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Diminished</er> <tt>(?)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Diminishing</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[Pref. <ets>di-</ets> (= L. <ets>dis-</ets>) + <ets>minish</ets>: cf. L. <ets>diminuere</ets>, F. <ets>diminuer</ets>, OE. <ets>diminuen</ets>. See <er>Dis-</er>, and <er>Minish</er>.]</ety>

<p><b>1.</b> <def>To make smaller in any manner; to reduce in bulk or amount; to lessen; -- opposed to <i>augment</i> or <i>increase</i>.</def>

<blockquote>Not <b>diminish</b>, but rather increase, the debt. <i>Barrow.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To lessen the authority or dignity of; to put down; to degrade; to abase; to weaken.</def>

<blockquote>This doth nothing <b>diminish</b> their opinion. <i>Robynson (More's Utopia).</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>I will <b>diminish</b> them, that they shall no more rule over the nations. <i>Ezek. xxix. 15.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>O thou . . . at whose sight all the stars Hide their <b>diminished</b> heads. <i>Milton.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <fld>(Mus.)</fld> <def>To make smaller by a half step; to make (an interval) less than minor; <as>as, a <ex>diminished</ex> seventh</as>.</def>

<p><b>4.</b> <def>To take away; to subtract.</def>

<blockquote>Neither shall ye <b>diminish</b> aught from it. <i>Deut. iv. 2.</i></blockquote>

<cs><col>Diminished column</col>, <cd>one whose upper diameter is less than the lower.</cd> -- <mcol><col>Diminished</col>, &or; <col>Diminishing</col>, <col>scale</col></mcol>, <cd>a scale of gradation used in finding the different points for drawing the spiral curve of the volute. <i>Gwilt</i>.</cd> -- <col>Diminishing rule</col> <fld>(Arch.)</fld>, <cd>a board cut with a concave edge, for fixing the entasis and curvature of a shaft.</cd> -- <col>Diminishing stile</col> <fld>(Arch.)</fld>, <cd>a stile which is narrower in one part than in another, as in many glazed doors.</cd></cs>

<syn>Syn. -- To decrease; lessen; abate; reduce; contract; curtail; impair; degrade. See <er>Decrease</er>.</syn>

<h1>Diminish</h1> <Xpage=413>

<hw>Di*min"ish</hw>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <def>To become or appear less or smaller; to lessen; <as>as, the apparent size of an object <ex>diminishes</ex> as we recede from it</as>.</def>

<h1>Diminishable</h1> <Xpage=413>

<hw>Di*min"ish*a*ble</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Capable of being diminished or lessened.</def>

<h1>Diminisher</h1> <Xpage=413>

<hw>Di*min"ish*er</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>One who, or that which, diminishes anything.</def>

<i>Clerke (1637).</i>

<h1>Diminishingly</h1> <Xpage=413>

<hw>Di*min"ish*ing*ly</hw>, <tt>adv.</tt> <def>In a manner to diminish.</def>

<h1>Diminishment</h1> <Xpage=413>

<hw>Di*min"ish*ment</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>Diminution.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<i>Cheke.</i>

<h1>Diminuendo</h1> <Xpage=413>