Category:Dwindle

Dwin"dle, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Dwindled; p. pr. & vb. n. Dwindling.] Etym: [From OE. dwinen to languish, waste away, AS. dwinan; akin to LG. dwinen, D. dwijnen to vanish, Icel. dvina to cease, dwindle, Sw. tvina; of uncertain origin. The suffix -le, preceded by d excrescent after n, is added to the root with a diminutive force.]

Defn: To diminish; to become less; to shrink; to waste or consume away; to become degenerate; to fall away. Weary sennights nine times nine Shall he dwindle, peak and pine. Shak. Religious societies, though begun with excellent intentions, are said to have dwindled into factious clubs. Swift.

dwindle Dwin"dle, v. t.

1. To make less; to bring low. Our drooping days are dwindled down to naught. Thomson.

2. To break; to disperse. [R.] Clarendon.

dwindle Dwin"dle, n.

Defn: The process of dwindling; dwindlement; decline; degeneracy. [R.] Johnson.