Decrease and Stoppage

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.

noun

• The state of inactivity following an interruption.
  • usage: "the negotiations were in arrest"; "held them in check"; "during the halt he got some lunch"; "the momentary stay enabled him to escape the blow"; "he spent the entire stop in his seat"
  • synonyms: arrest, check, halt, hitch, stay, stop
• An obstruction in a pipe or tube.
  • usage: "we had to call a plumber to clear out the blockage in the drainpipe"
  • synonyms: blockage, block, closure, occlusion, stop
• The act of stopping something.
  • usage: "the third baseman made some remarkable stops"; "his stoppage of the flow resulted in a flood"
  • synonyms: stop

(n.) The act of stopping or arresting progress, motion or action; also, the state of being stopped; as, the stoppage of the circulation of the blood; the stoppage of commerce.