Decrease and Contraction

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

• Physiology) a shortening or tensing of a part or organ (especially of a muscle or muscle fiber. ()
  • synonyms: muscular contraction, muscle contraction
• The process or result of becoming smaller or pressed together.
  • usage: "the contraction of a gas on cooling"
  • synonyms: compression, condensation
• A word formed from two or more words by omitting or combining some sounds.
  • usage: "`won't' is a contraction of `will not'"; "`o'clock' is a contraction of `of the clock'"
• The act of decreasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope. .

• (n.) The act or process of contracting, shortening or shrinking; the state of being contracted; as, contraction of the heart, of the pupil of the eye or of a tendion; the contraction produced by cold.
• (n.) A marriage contract.
• (n.) Something contracted or abbreviated, as a word or phrase; -- as, plenipo for plenipotentiary; crim. con. for criminal conversation, etc.
• (n.) The shortening of a word or of two words, by the omission of a letter or letters or by reducing two or more vowels or syllables to one; as, ne'er for never; can't for can not; don't for do not; it's for it is.
• (n.) The process of shortening an operation.
• (n.) The act of incurring or becoming subject to, as liabilities, obligation, debts, etc.; the process of becoming subject to; as, the contraction of a disease.