Decrease and Diffuse

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.

verb

• Move outward.
  • usage: "The soldiers fanned out"
  • synonyms: spread, spread out, fan out
• Spread or diffuse through.
  • usage: "An atmosphere of distrust has permeated this administration"; "music penetrated the entire building"; "His campaign was riddled with accusations and personal attacks"
  • synonyms: permeate, pervade, penetrate, interpenetrate, imbue, riddle
• Cause to become widely known.
  • usage: "spread information"; "circulate a rumor"; "broadcast the news"
  • synonyms: circulate, circularize, circularise, distribute, disseminate, propagate, broadcast, spread, disperse, pass around

adjective

• Spread out; not concentrated in one place.
  • usage: "a large diffuse organization"
• Of light. ( transmitted from a broad light source or reflected)
  • synonyms: soft, diffused
• Lacking conciseness.
  • usage: "a diffuse historical novel"

• (v.i.) To pass by spreading every way, to diffuse itself.
• (v.t.) To pour out and cause to spread, as a fluid; to cause to flow on all sides; to send out or extend, in all directions; to spread; to circulate; to disseminate; to scatter; as to diffuse information.
• (a.) Poured out; widely spread; not restrained; copious; full; especially, of style, opposed to concise or terse; verbose; prolix; as, a diffuse style; a diffuse writer.