Abate - English meaning

verb

(typically of something regarded as good) become smaller, fewer, or less; decrease.

Usage examples:

The birth rate continued to decline

noun

A gradual and continuous loss of strength, numbers, quality, or value.

Usage examples:

A serious decline in bird numbers

verb

To go down in amount or quality; lessen or weaken

Usage examples:

His interest in the project declined after his wife died., her health declined quickly., [ t ] she …

verb

Make or become smaller or fewer in size, amount, intensity, or degree.

Usage examples:

The population of the area has decreased radically

noun

An instance or example of becoming smaller or fewer.

Usage examples:

A decrease in births

verb

To become smaller or make something less

Usage examples:

[ i ] car sales decreased sharply this year., i haven’t noticed any decrease in ticket sales.

verb

Stop doing something; cease or abstain.

Usage examples:

Each pledged to desist from acts of sabotage

verb

To stop doing something

Usage examples:

She was ordered to desist from playing music after 11 p.m.

verb

To stop doing something, especially something that someone else does not want you to do

Usage examples:

Desist from the soldiers have been ordered to desist from firing their guns., the high winds are ex…

verb

Make or become less.

Usage examples:

The new law is expected to diminish the government's chances

verb

To reduce or be reduced in size or importance

Usage examples:

[ i ] the threat of inflation is diminishing., [ t ] a single-payer system would diminish the burea…

verb

To reduce or be reduced in size, importance, or value

Usage examples:

If consumers start losing confidence, it will diminish demand for household goods., investors can d…

verb

Diminish gradually in size, amount, or strength.

Usage examples:

Traffic has dwindled to a trickle

verb

To become less in number or smaller

Usage examples:

The community had dwindled to a tenth of its former size.

verb

To gradually become less, smaller, or lower in level

Usage examples:

Dwindle from sth to sth the municipality's population has dwindled from 40,000 to 24,000., dwindlin…

noun

The movement of the tide out to sea.

Usage examples:

The tide was on the ebb

verb

(of tidewater) move away from the land; recede.

Usage examples:

The tide began to ebb

verb

When the sea or tide ebbs, it moves away from the coast and falls to a lower level.

verb

Gradually grow faint and disappear.

Usage examples:

The light had faded and dusk was advancing

noun

The process of becoming less bright.

Usage examples:

The sun can cause colour fade

verb

Become less clearly visible or distinguishable

verb

Make or become less; diminish.

Usage examples:

The years have lessened the gap in age between us

verb

To become or make something smaller in amount or degree

Usage examples:

[ t ] keeping your weight down can lessen the risk of heart disease.

verb

To make something smaller, less noticeable, etc., or to become smaller, less noticeable, etc.

Usage examples:

Corporate executives are keen to embrace "green technology" in order to lessen their dependence on …

idiom

Become less in amount or intensity

phrasal verb

(of something undesirable) become less intense.

Usage examples:

The rain's letting up—it'll be clear soon

phrasal verb

(esp. of something unpleasant) to become less strong or stop

Usage examples:

When the rain lets up we’ll go for a walk.

adjective

Average in amount, intensity, quality, or degree.

Usage examples:

We walked at a moderate pace

noun

A person who holds moderate views, especially in politics.

Usage examples:

An unlikely alliance of radicals and moderates

verb

Make or become less extreme, intense, rigorous, or violent.

Usage examples:

I shall not moderate my criticism

verb

Go or move back or further away from a previous position.

Usage examples:

The floodwaters had receded

verb

Abandon or mitigate a severe or harsh attitude, especially by finally yielding to a request.

Usage examples:

She was going to refuse his request, but relented

verb

Give in, as to influence or pressure

verb

Make or become slack.

Usage examples:

He slackened his grip

verb

Become slow or slower

verb

To loosen something, or to become loose

Usage examples:

[ i ] his muscles slackened under the steaming shower., [ t ] let’s slacken our pace a little.

verb

Become less intense, violent, or severe.

Usage examples:

I'll wait a few minutes until the storm subsides

verb

(of a condition) to become less strong, or (of an activity or disagreement) to become less violent

Usage examples:

When her pain didn’t subside, matt drove her to the hospital., friction between the groups subsided…

verb

(of the moon) have a progressively smaller part of its visible surface illuminated, so that it appears to decrease in size.

Usage examples:

Tory tried to see her reflection, but the moon was waning, the stars obscured by clouds.

noun

The amount by which a plank or log is bevelled or falls short of a squared shape.

Usage examples:

I cut the log into slabs without removing the outside wane

pronoun

Used by a speaker to refer to himself or herself and one or more other people considered together.

Usage examples:

Shall we have a drink?