decline

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de·cline / diˈklīn/ • v. 1. [intr.] become smaller, fewer, or less; decrease. ∎  diminish in strength or quality; deteriorate. [as adj.] (declining) declining educational standards. 2. [tr.] politely refuse (an invitation or offer). ∎  politely refuse to do something: the company declined to comment.3. [intr.] (esp. of the sun) move downward. ∎ archaic bend down; droop.4. [tr.] (in the grammar of Latin, Greek, and certain other languages) state the forms of (a noun, pronoun, or adjective) corresponding to cases, number, and gender.• n. [in sing.] a gradual and continuous loss of strength, numbers, or quality. ∎  a fall in value or price. ∎ archaic the gradual setting of the sun. ∎ archaic any disease in which bodily strength gradually fails, esp. tuberculosis.DERIVATIVES: de·clin·a·ble adj.de·clin·er n.

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