'Lessen' definitions:
Definition of 'lessen'
(from WordNet)
verb
Decrease in size, extent, or range; "The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester"; "The cabin pressure fell dramatically"; "her weight fell to under a hundred pounds"; "his voice fell to a whisper" [syn: decrease, diminish, lessen, fall] [ant: increase]
verb
verb
Wear off or die down; "The pain subsided" [syn: subside, lessen]
Definition of 'Lessen'
From: GCIDE
- Lessen \Less"en\, v. i. To become less; to shrink; to contract; to decrease; to be diminished; as, the apparent magnitude of objects lessens as we recede from them; his care, or his wealth, lessened. [1913 Webster]
- The objection lessens much, and comes to no more than this: there was one witness of no good reputation. --Atterbury. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Lessen'
From: GCIDE
- Lessen \Less"en\ (l[e^]s"'n), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Lessened (-'nd); p. pr. & vb. n. Lessening.] [From Less, a.] To make less; to reduce; to make smaller, or fewer; to diminish; to lower; to degrade; as, to lessen a kingdom, or a population; to lessen speed, rank, fortune. [1913 Webster]
- Charity . . . shall lessen his punishment. --Calamy. [1913 Webster]
- St. Paul chose to magnify his office when ill men conspired to lessen it. --Atterbury.
- Syn: To diminish; reduce; abate; decrease; lower; impair; weaken; degrade. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'lessen'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- abate,
- ablate,
- abrade,
- abridge,
- abstract,
- allay,
- alleviate,
- allow for,
- amputate,
- anesthetize,
- appease,
- assuage,
- attemper,
- bank the fire,
- bate,
- be eaten away,
- benumb,
- blunt,
- chasten,
- clip,
- close,
- color,
- compress,
- constrain,
- consume,
- consume away,
- control,
- corrode,
- crop,
- crumble,
- curtail,
- cushion,
- cut,
- cut back,
- cut down,
- damp,
- dampen,
- de-emphasize,
- deaden,
- deaden the pain,
- decline,
- decrease,
- deduct,
- deflate,
- deliquesce,
- depreciate,
- depress,
- derogate,
- detract,
- die away,
- diminish,
- disparage,
- dive,
- downgrade,
- downplay,
- drain,
- drop,
- drop off,
- dull,
- dwindle,
- ease,
- ease matters,
- eat away,
- ebb,
- erode,
- extenuate,
- extract,
- fall,
- fall away,
- fall off,
- file away,
- foment,
- give relief,
- gloss over,
- ignore,
- impair,
- keep within bounds,
- languish,
- lay,
- leach,
- lenify,
- let up,
- lighten,
- lower,
- lull,
- make allowance for,
- melt away,
- mince,
- minify,
- mitigate,
- moderate,
- modulate,
- mollify,
- numb,
- obtund,
- pad,
- palliate,
- pare,
- play down,
- plummet,
- plunge,
- poultice,
- pour balm into,
- pour oil on,
- purify,
- reduce,
- reduce the temperature,
- refine,
- relieve,
- remove,
- restrain,
- retrench,
- roll back,
- rub away,
- run low,
- sag,
- salve,
- scale down,
- shorten,
- shrink,
- simplify,
- sink,
- slacken,
- slake,
- slow down,
- slur over,
- smother,
- sober,
- sober down,
- soft-pedal,
- soften,
- soothe,
- step down,
- stifle,
- stupe,
- subduct,
- subdue,
- subside,
- subtract,
- suppress,
- tail off,
- take away,
- take from,
- tame,
- temper,
- thin,
- thin out,
- tone down,
- truncate,
- tune down,
- underplay,
- varnish,
- wane,
- waste,
- waste away,
- weaken,
- wear,
- wear away,
- weed,
- whitewash,
- withdraw