Decrease and Delay

decrease

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

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.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

delay

Time during which some action is awaited.
- usage: "instant replay caused too long a delay"; "he ordered a hold in the action"
- synonyms: hold, time lag, postponement, wait
The act of delaying; inactivity resulting in something being put off until a later time.
- synonyms: holdup

Cause to be slowed down or delayed.
- usage: "Traffic was delayed by the bad weather"; "she delayed the work that she didn't want to perform"
- synonyms: detain, hold up
Act later than planned, scheduled, or required.
- usage: "Don't delay your application to graduate school or else it won't be considered"
Stop or halt.
- usage: "Please stay the bloodshed"
- synonyms: stay, detain
Slow the growth or development of.
- usage: "The brain damage will retard the child's language development"
- synonyms: check, retard

(v.i.) To move slowly; to stop for a time; to linger; to tarry.
(n.) To put off; to defer; to procrastinate; to prolong the time of or before.
(n.) To allay; to temper.
(v.) A putting off or deferring; procrastination; lingering inactivity; stop; detention; hindrance.
(n.) To retard; to stop, detain or hinder, for a time; to retard the motion or time of arrival, of; as, the mail is delayed by a heavy fall of snow.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

Delay is the amount of time that elapses between a change in an input event and the resultant change in a related output event or time series.