dwindle

Etymology

Frequentative form of dwine, from Middle English dwinen, from Old English dwīnan (“to waste away”), itself from Proto-Germanic *dwīnaną. It is equivalent to dwine + -le, akin to Old Norse dvena, dvína, Dutch verdwijnen (“to disappear, dwindle”).

verb

1. (intransitive) To decrease, shrink, diminish, reduce in size or intensity.
   1802, T. Paynell (translator), Erasmus, The Complaint of Peace [E]very thing that was improving gradually degenerates and dwindles away to nothing, […]
2. (intransitive, figurative) To fall away in quality; degenerate, sink.
   The larger the empire, the more dwindles the mind of the citizen. 1919, Boris Sidis, The Source and Aim of Human Progress
   [I]nfected tulips are weakened by the viruses that cause the very patterns and swirls that fascinated horticulturists and investors in the first place. Such bulbs tend to dwindle away instead of fattening up and producing offsets. 26 September 2014, Charles Quest-Ritson, “The Dutch garden where tulip bulbs live forever: Hortus Bulborum, a volunteer-run Dutch garden, is dedicated to conserving historic varieties before they vanish for good [print version: Inspired by a living bulb archive, 27 September 2014, p. G5]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Gardening)
3. (transitive) To lessen; to bring low.
4. To break up or disperse.