Decrease and Justify

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

• Show to be reasonable or provide adequate ground for.
  • usage: "The emergency does not warrant all of us buying guns"; "The end justifies the means"
  • synonyms: warrant
• Show to be right by providing justification or proof.
  • usage: "vindicate a claim"
  • synonyms: vindicate
• Defend, explain, clear away, or make excuses for by reasoning.
  • usage: "rationalize the child's seemingly crazy behavior"; "he rationalized his lack of success"
  • synonyms: apologize, apologise, excuse, rationalize, rationalise
• Let off the hook.
  • usage: "I absolve you from this responsibility"
  • synonyms: absolve, free
• Adjust the spaces between words.
  • usage: "justify the margins"

• (a.) To make even or true, as lines of type, by proper spacing; to adjust, as type. See Justification, 4.
• (v.i.) To take oath to the ownership of property sufficient to qualify one's self as bail or surety.
• (a.) To prove or show to be just; to vindicate; to maintain or defend as conformable to law, right, justice, propriety or duty.
• (a.) To prove; to ratify; to confirm.
• (v.i.) To form an even surface or true line with something else; to fit exactly.
• (a.) To treat as if righteous and just; to pardon; to exculpate; to absolve.
• (a.) To pronounce free from guilt or blame; to declare or prove to have done that which is just, right, proper, etc.; to absolve; to exonerate; to clear.
• (v.t.) To show (a person) to have had a sufficient legal reason for an act that has been made the subject of a change or accusation.
• (v.t.) To qualify (one's self) as a surely by taking oath to the ownership of sufficient property.