Devolving and Decline

noun

• Change toward something smaller or lower.
  • synonyms: diminution
• A condition inferior to an earlier condition; a gradual falling off from a better state.
  • synonyms: declination
• A gradual decrease; as of stored charge or current.
  • synonyms: decay
• A downward slope or bend.
  • synonyms: descent, declivity, fall, declination, declension, downslope

verb

• Grow worse.
  • usage: "Conditions in the slum worsened"
  • synonyms: worsen
• Refuse to accept.
  • usage: "He refused my offer of hospitality"
  • synonyms: refuse, reject, pass up, turn down
• Show unwillingness towards.
  • usage: "he declined to join the group on a hike"
  • synonyms: refuse
• Grow smaller.
  • usage: "Interest in the project waned"
  • synonyms: go down, wane
• Go down.
  • usage: "The roof declines here"
• Go down in value.
  • usage: "the stock market corrected"; "prices slumped"
  • synonyms: slump, correct
• (v.) ().

• (v.i.) A gradual sinking and wasting away of the physical faculties; any wasting disease, especially pulmonary consumption; as, to die of a decline.
• (v.t.) To inflect or rehearse in order the changes of grammatical form of; as, to decline a noun or an adjective.
• (v.t.) To run through from first to last; to repeat like a schoolboy declining a noun.
• (v.t.) To put or turn aside; to turn off or away from; to refuse to undertake or comply with; reject; to shun; to avoid; as, to decline an offer; to decline a contest; he declined any participation with them.
• (v.t.) To bend downward; to bring down; to depress; to cause to bend or fall.
• (v.i.) A falling off; a tendency to a worse state; diminution or decay; deterioration; also, the period when a thing is tending toward extinction or a less perfect state; as, the decline of life; the decline of strength; the decline of virtue and religion.
• (v.i.) To bend or lean downward; to take a downward direction; to bend over or hang down, as from weakness, weariness, despondency, etc.; to condescend.
• (v.i.) To turn or bend aside; to deviate; to stray; to withdraw; as, a line that declines from straightness; conduct that declines from sound morals.
• (v.i.) To turn away; to shun; to refuse; -- the opposite of accept or consent; as, he declined, upon principle.
• (v.i.) To tend or draw towards a close, decay or extinction; to tend to a less perfect state; to become diminished or impaired; to fail; to sink; to diminish; to lessen; as, the day declines; virtue declines; religion declines; business declines.
• (v.i.) That period of a disorder or paroxysm when the symptoms begin to abate in violence; as, the decline of a fever.
• (v.t.) To cause to decrease or diminish.