1 de·cline
Pronounced:
/dɪˈklaɪn/
Function:
verbInflected forms:
de·clines; de·clined; de·clin·ingMeaning:
1 [no obj] : to become lower in amount or less in number ▪ Oil prices continue to decline. [=decrease, fall] ▪ The construction of new houses declined five percent this year. ▪ The animal's numbers are declining rapidly.
2 [no obj] : to become worse in condition or quality ▪ The patient's condition has declined. [=worsened, deteriorated] ▪ My grandmother's health has been declining since she broke her hip. ▪ The civilization began to decline around 1000 B.C.
3 somewhat formal a [+ obj] : to say that you will not or cannot do something ▪ The company declined comment on the scandal. —usually followed by to + verb ▪ The company declined to comment on the scandal. ▪ She declined to run for a second term as governor. b : to say no to something in a polite way [+ obj] ▪ Regretfully, we have to decline [=turn down] the invitation to your wedding. ▪ He changed his mind and declined the company's offer. [no obj] ▪ I invited him, but he declined. —opposite accept
4 [+ obj] grammar : to list the different forms of (a noun, pronoun, or adjective) ▪ We had to decline the Latin adjective “brevis” on our test.
2 [no obj] : to become worse in condition or quality ▪ The patient's condition has declined. [=worsened, deteriorated] ▪ My grandmother's health has been declining since she broke her hip. ▪ The civilization began to decline around 1000 B.C.
3 somewhat formal a [+ obj] : to say that you will not or cannot do something ▪ The company declined comment on the scandal. —usually followed by to + verb ▪ The company declined to comment on the scandal. ▪ She declined to run for a second term as governor. b : to say no to something in a polite way [+ obj] ▪ Regretfully, we have to decline [=turn down] the invitation to your wedding. ▪ He changed his mind and declined the company's offer. [no obj] ▪ I invited him, but he declined. —opposite accept
4 [+ obj] grammar : to list the different forms of (a noun, pronoun, or adjective) ▪ We had to decline the Latin adjective “brevis” on our test.
—de·clin·er /dɪˈklaɪnɚ/ noun plural de·clin·ers [count] ▪ There were more advancers than decliners [=stocks that decreased in value] in the stock market today.
/dɪˈklaɪnɚ/ noun plural de·clin·ers [count] ▪ There were more advancers than decliners [=stocks that decreased in value] in the stock market today.—de·clin·ing /dɪˈklaɪnɪŋ/ adjective ▪ declining health ▪ in her declining years [=in the last years of her life]
/dɪˈklaɪnɪŋ/ adjective ▪ declining health ▪ in her declining years [=in the last years of her life]