transcription, транскрипция: [ dɪklaɪn ]
( declines, declining, declined)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
If something declines , it becomes less in quantity, importance, or strength.
The number of staff has declined from 217,000 to 114,000...
Hourly output by workers declined 1.3% in the first quarter...
Union membership and union power are declining fast.
...a declining birth rate.
VERB : V from/to/by amount , V amount , V , V-ing
2.
If you decline something or decline to do something, you politely refuse to accept it or do it. ( FORMAL )
He declined their invitation...
The band declined to comment on the story...
He offered the boys some coffee. They declined politely.
VERB : V n , V to-inf , V
3.
If there is a decline in something, it becomes less in quantity, importance, or quality.
There wasn’t such a big decline in enrollments after all...
The first signs of economic decline became visible.
N-VAR : oft N with poss , N in n
4.
If something is in decline or on the decline , it is gradually decreasing in importance, quality, or power.
Thankfully the smoking of cigarettes is on the decline...
PHRASE : v-link PHR
5.
If something goes or falls into decline , it begins to gradually decrease in importance, quality, or power.
Libraries are an investment for the future and they should not be allowed to fall into decline.
PHRASE