Decrease and Slacken

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

slacken

Become slow or slower.
- usage: "Production slowed"
- synonyms: slow, slow down, slow up, slack
Make less active or fast.
- usage: "He slackened his pace as he got tired"; "Don't relax your efforts now"
- synonyms: slack, slack up, relax
Become looser or slack.
- usage: "the rope slackened"
Make slack as by lessening tension or firmness.
- synonyms: remit

(v.t.) To cause to become less intense; to mitigate; to abate; to ease.
(a.) To be remiss or backward; to be negligent.
(a.) To languish; to fail; to flag.
(a.) To lose rapidity; to become more slow; as, a current of water slackens.
(v.t.) To render slack; to make less tense or firm; as, to slack a rope; to slacken a bandage.
(n.) A spongy, semivitrifled substance which miners or smelters mix with the ores of metals to prevent their fusion.
(v.t.) To cause to become less eager; to repress; to make slow or less rapid; to retard; as, to slacken pursuit; to slacken industry.
(v.t.) To deprive of cohesion by combining chemically with water; to slake; as, to slack lime.
(a.) To end; to cease; to desist; to slake.
(a.) To lose cohesion or solidity by a chemical combination with water; to slake; as, lime slacks.
(a.) To abate; to become less violent.
(a.) To become slack; to be made less tense, firm or rigid; to decrease in tension; as, a wet cord slackens in dry weather.
(v.t.) To neglect; to be remiss in.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary