Decrease and Vary

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

• Become different in some particular way, without permanently losing one's or its former characteristics or essence.
  • usage: "her mood changes in accordance with the weather"; "The supermarket's selection of vegetables varies according to the season"
  • synonyms: change, alter
• Be at variance with; be out of line with.
  • synonyms: deviate, diverge, depart
• Be subject to change in accordance with a variable.
  • usage: "Prices vary"; "His moods vary depending on the weather"
• Make something more diverse and varied.
  • usage: "Vary the menu"
  • synonyms: variegate, motley

• (v.t.) To make of different kinds; to make different from one another; to diversity; to variegate.
• (v.i.) To alter or be altered, in any manner; to suffer a partial change; to become different; to be modified; as, colors vary in different lights.
• (v.i.) To disagree; to be at variance or in dissension; as, men vary in opinion.
• (v.i.) To alter or change in succession; to alternate; as, one mathematical quantity varies inversely as another.
• (v.t.) To change to something else; to transmute; to exchange; to alternate.
• (n.) Alteration; change.
• (v.t.) To change the aspect of; to alter in form, appearance, substance, position or the like; to make different by a partial change; to modify; as, to vary the properties, proportions or nature of a thing; to vary a posture or an attitude; to vary one's dress or opinions.
• (v.i.) To differ or be different; to be unlike or diverse; as, the laws of France vary from those of England.
• (v.t.) To embellish; to change fancifully; to present under new aspects, as of form, key, measure, etc. See Variation, 4.
• (v.i.) To deviate; to depart; to swerve; -- followed by from; as, to vary from the law or from reason.