Diminish
King James Dictionary [1]
1. To lessen to make less or smaller, by any means opposed to increase and augment as, to diminish the size of a thing by contraction, or by cutting off a part to diminish a number by subtraction to diminish the revenue by limiting commerce, or reducing the customs to diminish strength or safety to diminish the heat of a room. It is particularly applied to bulk and quantity, as shorten is to length. 2. To lessen to impair to degrade.
I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations. Ezekiel 29 .
3. In music, to take from a note by a sharp, flat or natural.
To diminish from, to take away something.
Neither shall you diminish aught from it Deuteronomy 4 .
Diminish, To lessen to become or appear less or smaller. The size of an object diminishes, as we recede from it.
Webster's Dictionary [2]
(1): ( v. t.) To lessen the authority or dignity of; to put down; to degrade; to abase; to weaken.
(2): ( v. t.) To make smaller in any manner; to reduce in bulk or amount; to lessen; - opposed to augment or increase.
(3): ( v. i.) To become or appear less or smaller; to lessen; as, the apparent size of an object diminishes as we recede from it.
(4): ( v. t.) To take away; to subtract.
(5): ( v. t.) To make smaller by a half step; to make (an interval) less than minor; as, a diminished seventh.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [3]
di -min´ish : the Revised Version (British and American) has retained nearly all passages of the King James Version where "to diminish" is used. Some of these uses have become obsolete: Deuteronomy 4:2 , "neither shall ye diminish from it." "Diminish" generally means "to reduce," "to lessen." In this sense it is employed in Ezekiel 5:11 from the Hebrew גּרע , gārȧ‛ , literally, "to shear." The picture of shearing the beard, expressing degradation and loss of manhood, may underlie this passage.
