N. decrease, diminution, lessening, subtraction, reduction, abatement, declension, shrinking, coarctation|, abridgment, extenuation, subsidence, wane, ebb, decline, ebbing, descent, decrement, reflux, depreciation, deterioration, anticlimax, mitigation

V. decrease, diminish, lessen, abridge, shrink, drop off, fall off, tail off, fall away, waste, wear, wane, ebb, decline, descend, subside, melt away, die away, retire into the shade, hide its diminished head, fall to a low ebb, run low, languish, decay, crumble, bate, abate, dequantitate|, discount, depreciate, extenuate, lower, weaken, attenuate, fritter away, mitigate, dwarf, throw into the shade, reduce, shorten, subtract

Adj. unincreased &c. (see increase ), decreased, decreasing, on the wane

Phr. "a gilded halo hovering round decay", "fine by degrees and beautifully less", 3, conjunctive quantity