diminish

Etymology

Formed under the influence of both diminue (from Old French diminuer, from Latin dīminuo) and minish.

verb

1. (transitive) To make smaller.
   The threat of terrorism to the British lies in the overreaction to it of British governments. Each one in turn clicks up the ratchet of surveillance, intrusion and security. Each one diminishes liberty. 2012-12-14, Simon Jenkins, “We mustn't overreact to North Korea boys' toys”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 2, page 23
2. (intransitive) To become less or smaller.
   Whether modern, industrial man is less or more warlike than his hunter-gatherer ancestors is impossible to determine.[…]One thing that is true, though, is that murder rates have fallen over the centuries, as policing has spread and the routine carrying of weapons has diminished. Modern society may not have done anything about war. But peace is a lot more peaceful. 2013-07-20, “Old soldiers?”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845
   In the latter years of its existence, BR was rationalising its estate by pulling down station buildings which were too large for its modern operational needs, or by shutting off parts of them when demolition was not an option. Kilmarnock station falls into this latter category. It dominates the townscape, but its operational importance has seriously diminished since electrification of the West Coast Main Line. December 15 2021, Robin Leleux, “Awards honour the best restoration projects: The Bam Nuttall Partnership Award: Kilmarnock”, in RAIL, number 946, page 58
3. (transitive) To lessen the authority or dignity of; to put down; to degrade; to abase; to weaken; to nerf (in gaming).
   1639, Ralph Robinson (translator), Utopia by Thomas More, London, Book 2, “Of their journying or travelling abroad,” p. 197, […] this doth nothing diminish their opinion.
   O thou, that, with surpassing glory crowned, Lookest from thy sole dominion like the God Of this new world; at whose sight all the stars Hide their diminished heads; to thee I call, 1674, John Milton, Paradise Lost/Book_IV), Book 4, lines 32-35
   In Seth’s presence Mr Biswas felt diminished. Everything about Seth was overpowering: his calm manner, his smooth grey hair, his ivory holder, his hard swollen forearms […] 1961, V. S. Naipaul, chapter 3, in A House for Mr Biswas, London: André Deutsch
4. (intransitive) To taper.
   The chair and table legs diminished as they neared the ground, and were straight and square in all their corners. 1853, Elizabeth Gaskell, chapter 8, in Cranford, London: J.M. Dent, published 1904, page 120
5. (intransitive) To disappear gradually.
   ‘Good evening, good evening,’ Father Rank called. His stride lengthened and he caught a foot in his soutane and stumbled as he went by. ‘A storm’s coming up,’ he said. ‘Got to hurry,’ and his ‘ho, ho, ho’ diminished mournfully along the railway track, bringing no comfort to anyone. 1948, Graham Greene, The Heart of the Matter, Penguin, published 1971, Part Two, Chapter 2, 1, p. 77
6. (transitive) To take away; to subtract.