decline

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decline turn aside, deviate (trans. and intr.); bend or go down; (gram.) inflect XIV; turn aside or away from XV. — (O)F. décliner — L. dēclīnāre, f. DE- 2 + clīnāre bend, cogn. with Gr. klinein bend; cf. LEAN 2.
Hence decline sb. XIV. So declination (astron.) XIV; †(gram.) declension XV; turning aside or down XVI. — L.

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