Decrease and Loosen

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

• Make loose or looser.
  • usage: "loosen the tension on a rope"
  • synonyms: loose
• Make less severe or strict.
  • usage: "The government relaxed the curfew after most of the rebels were caught"
  • synonyms: relax
• Become less severe or strict.
  • usage: "The rules relaxed after the new director arrived"
  • synonyms: relax
• Disentangle and raise the fibers of.
  • usage: "tease wool"
  • synonyms: tease, tease apart
• Cause to become loose.
  • usage: "undo the shoelace"; "untie the knot"; "loosen the necktie"
  • synonyms: untie, undo
• Make less dense.
  • usage: "loosen the soil"
• Become loose or looser or less tight.
  • usage: "The noose loosened"; "the rope relaxed"
  • synonyms: relax, loose

• (v.i.) To become loose; to become less tight, firm or compact.
• (v.t.) To free from restraint; to set at liberty..
• (v.t.) To make loose; to free from tightness, tension, firmness or fixedness; to make less dense or compact; as, to loosen a string or a knot; to loosen a rock in the earth.
• (v.t.) To remove costiveness from; to facilitate or increase the alvine discharges of.