Decrease and Suspend

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

• Hang freely.
  • usage: "The secret police suspended their victims from the ceiling and beat them"
• Cause to be held in suspension in a fluid.
  • usage: "suspend the particles"
• Bar temporarily; from school, office, etc..
  • synonyms: debar
• Stop a process or a habit by imposing a freeze on it.
  • usage: "Suspend the aid to the war-torn country"
  • synonyms: freeze
• Make inoperative or stop.
  • usage: "suspend payments on the loan"
  • synonyms: set aside
• Render temporarily ineffective.
  • usage: "the prison sentence was suspended"

• (n.) To support in a liquid, as an insoluble powder, by stirring, to facilitate chemical action.
• (n.) To cause to cease for a time; to hinder from proceeding; to interrupt; to delay; to stay.
• (n.) To cause to cease for a time from operation or effect; as, to suspend the habeas corpus act; to suspend the rules of a legislative body.
• (n.) To attach to something above; to hang; as, to suspend a ball by a thread; to suspend a needle by a loadstone.
• (n.) To make to depend; as, God hath suspended the promise of eternal life on the condition of obedience and holiness of life.
• (n.) To hold in an undetermined or undecided state; as, to suspend one's judgment or opinion.
• (n.) To debar or cause to withdraw temporarily, from any privilege, from the execution of an office, from the enjoyment of income, etc.; as, to suspend a student from college; to suspend a member of a club.
• (v.i.) To cease from operation or activity; especially, to stop payment or be unable to meet obligations or engagements (said of a commercial firm or a bank).