Decrease and Abstraction

noun

• A change downward.
  • usage: "there was a decrease in his temperature as the fever subsided"; "there was a sharp drop-off in sales"
  • synonyms: lessening, drop-off
• A process of becoming smaller or shorter.
  • synonyms: decrement
• The amount by which something decreases.
  • synonyms: decrement
• The act of decreasing or reducing something.
  • synonyms: diminution, reduction, step-down

verb

• Decrease in size, extent, or range.
  • usage: "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"
  • synonyms: diminish, lessen, fall
• Make smaller.
  • usage: "He decreased his staff"
  • synonyms: lessen, minify

• (v.t.) To cause to grow less; to diminish gradually; as, extravagance decreases one's means.
• (v.) A becoming less; gradual diminution; decay; as, a decrease of revenue or of strength.
• (n.) To grow less, -- opposed to increase; to be diminished gradually, in size, degree, number, duration, etc. or in strength, quality or excellence; as, they days decrease in length from June to December.
• (v.) The wane of the moon.

noun

• A concept or idea not associated with any specific instance.
  • usage: "he loved her only in the abstract-not in person"
  • synonyms: abstract
• The act of withdrawing or removing something.
• The process of formulating general concepts by abstracting common properties of instances.
  • synonyms: generalization, generalisation
• An abstract painting.
• Preoccupation with something to the exclusion of all else.
  • synonyms: abstractedness
• A general concept formed by extracting common features from specific examples.
  • synonyms: abstract entity

• (a.) The act of abstracting, separating or withdrawing or the state of being withdrawn; withdrawal.
• (a.) The act process of leaving out of consideration one or more properties of a complex object so as to attend to others; analysis. Thus, when the mind considers the form of a tree by itself or the color of the leaves as separate from their size or figure, the act is called abstraction. So, also, when it considers whiteness, softness, virtue, existence, as separate from any particular objects.
• (a.) An idea or notion of an abstract or theoretical nature; as, to fight for mere abstractions.
• (a.) A separation from worldly objects; a recluse life; as, a hermit's abstraction.
• (a.) Absence or absorption of mind; inattention to present objects.
• (a.) The taking surreptitiously for one's own use part of the property of another; purloining.
• (a.) A separation of volatile parts by the act of distillation.