Decrease and Melt

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

melt

The process whereby heat changes something from a solid to a liquid.
- usage: "the power failure caused a refrigerator melt that was a disaster"; "the thawing of a frozen turkey takes several hours"
- synonyms: thaw, thawing, melting

Reduce or cause to be reduced from a solid to a liquid state, usually by heating.
- usage: "melt butter"; "melt down gold"; "The wax melted in the sun"
- synonyms: run, melt down
Become or cause to become soft or liquid.
- usage: "The sun melted the ice"; "the ice thawed"; "the ice cream melted"; "The heat melted the wax"; "The giant iceberg dissolved over the years during the global warming phase"; "dethaw the meat"
- synonyms: dissolve, thaw, unfreeze, unthaw, dethaw
Become more relaxed, easygoing, or genial.
- usage: "With age, he mellowed"
- synonyms: mellow, mellow out
Lose its distinct outline or shape; blend gradually.
- usage: "Hundreds of actors were melting into the scene"
- synonyms: meld
Become less clearly visible or distinguishable; disappear gradually or seemingly.
- usage: "The scene begins to fade"; "The tree trunks are melting into the forest at dusk"
- synonyms: fade
Become less intense and fade away gradually.
- usage: "her resistance melted under his charm"; "her hopes evaporated after years of waiting for her fiance"
- synonyms: disappear, evaporate

(v.i.) To dissolve; as, sugar melts in the mouth.
(v.i.) To lose distinct form or outline; to blend.
(v.i.) To disappear by being dispersed or dissipated; as, the fog melts away.
(v.i.) To be changed from a solid to a liquid state under the influence of heat; as, butter and wax melt at moderate temperatures.
(v.) To reduce from a solid to a liquid state, as by heat; to liquefy; as, to melt wax, tallow or lead; to melt ice or snow.
(n.) See 2d Milt.
(v.i.) Hence: To be softened; to become tender, mild or gentle; also, to be weakened or subdued, as by fear.
(v.) Hence: To soften, as by a warming or kindly influence; to relax; to render gentle or susceptible to mild influences; sometimes, in a bad sense, to take away the firmness of; to weaken.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary