declineth

Verb

decline (third-person singular simple present declines, present participle declining, simple past and past participle declined)

1. (intransitive) To move downwards, to fall, to drop.
   • The dollar has declined rapidly since 2001.
2. (intransitive) To become weaker or worse.
   • My health declined in winter.
3. (transitive) To bend downward; to bring down; to depress; to cause to bend, or fall.
   • in melancholy site, with head declineda. 1749 (date written), James Thomson, “Spring”, in The Seasons, London: […] A[ndrew] Millar, and sold by Thomas Cadell, […], published 1768, →OCLC
4. (transitive) To cause to decrease or diminish.
   • You have declin'd his means.1612–1613, Nathan Field, John Fletcher, Philip Massinger, “The Honest Mans Fortune”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647...
5. To turn or bend aside; to deviate; to stray; to withdraw.
   • a line that declines from straightness
6. (transitive) To choose not to do something; refuse, forbear, refrain.
   • Could I decline this dreadful hour?1626, Philip Massinger, The Roman Actor

See all 15 meanings of decline