'Declining' definitions:
Definition of 'Declining'
From: GCIDE
- Decline \De*cline"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Declined; p. pr. & vb. n. Declining.] [OE. declinen to bend down, lower, sink, decline (a noun), F. d['e]cliner to decline, refuse, fr. L. declinare to turn aside, inflect (a part of speech), avoid; de- + clinare to incline; akin to E. lean. See Lean, v. i.]
- 1. To bend, or lean downward; to take a downward direction; to bend over or hang down, as from weakness, weariness, despondency, etc.; to condescend. "With declining head." --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- He . . . would decline even to the lowest of his family. --Lady Hutchinson. [1913 Webster]
- Disdaining to decline, Slowly he falls, amidst triumphant cries. --Byron. [1913 Webster]
- The ground at length became broken and declined rapidly. --Sir W. Scott. [1913 Webster]
- 2. 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. [1913 Webster]
- That empire must decline Whose chief support and sinews are of coin. --Waller. [1913 Webster]
- And presume to know . . . Who thrives, and who declines. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- 3. To turn or bend aside; to deviate; to stray; to withdraw; as, a line that declines from straightness; conduct that declines from sound morals. [1913 Webster]
- Yet do I not decline from thy testimonies. --Ps. cxix. 157. [1913 Webster]
- 4. To turn away; to shun; to refuse; -- the opposite of accept or consent; as, he declined, upon principle. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'declining'
From: GCIDE
- declining \declining\ adj.
- 1. decreasing; as, steadily declining incomes.
- Syn: down(prenominal). [WordNet 1.5]
- 2. going from better to worse.
- Syn: deteriorating, failing, regressing, retrograde, retrogressive. [WordNet 1.5]
- 3. becoming less or smaller; as, declining powers of body and mind. Opposite of increasing.
- Syn: eroding. [WordNet 1.5]
- 4. drawing to an end; waning; as, his declining years. [prenominal] [WordNet 1.5]
Synonyms of 'declining'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- abjuration,
- abjurement,
- abnegation,
- aging,
- chucking,
- chucking out,
- collapsing,
- coming apart,
- contempt,
- contractive,
- contradiction,
- cracking,
- crumbling,
- decadent,
- deciduous,
- declension,
- declination,
- declinature,
- declined,
- declivate,
- declivitous,
- declivous,
- decreasing,
- decrescendo,
- decrescent,
- decurrent,
- degenerate,
- deliquescent,
- denial,
- deprivation,
- descendant,
- descending,
- despisal,
- despising,
- deteriorating,
- diminishing,
- diminuendo,
- dipping,
- disagreement,
- disallowance,
- disapproval,
- discard,
- disclaimer,
- disclamation,
- discounting,
- disintegrating,
- dismissal,
- disobedience,
- disownment,
- disregard,
- dissent,
- doting,
- down,
- down-reaching,
- downcoming,
- downfalling,
- downgoing,
- downgrade,
- downhill,
- downsinking,
- downward,
- draining,
- drooping,
- dropping,
- dwindling,
- dying,
- ebbing,
- effete,
- exception,
- exclusion,
- fading,
- failing,
- falling,
- flagging,
- fragmenting,
- getting on,
- going to pieces,
- growing old,
- holding back,
- ignoring,
- languishing,
- lessening,
- marcescent,
- nay,
- negation,
- negative,
- negative answer,
- nix,
- no,
- nonacceptance,
- nonapproval,
- noncompliance,
- nonconsent,
- nonconsideration,
- nonobservance,
- on the descendant,
- on the downgrade,
- on the wane,
- passing by,
- pining,
- plummeting,
- plunging,
- putting away,
- putting out,
- rebuff,
- recantation,
- receding,
- reductive,
- refusal,
- regressive,
- rejection,
- renouncement,
- repudiation,
- repulse,
- retention,
- retiring,
- retreating,
- retrograde,
- retrogressive,
- sagging,
- scouting,
- senescent,
- setting,
- shrinking,
- shriveling,
- sinking,
- sliding,
- slipping,
- slumping,
- spurning,
- submerging,
- subsiding,
- tabetic,
- throwing out,
- thumbs-down,
- tottering,
- tumbledown,
- turndown,
- turning out,
- unwillingness,
- waning,
- wasting,
- wilting,
- withering,
- withholding,
- worsening