v. & n.
v.tr. & intr. make or become smaller or fewer.
n. 1 the act or an instance of decreasing. 2 the amount by which a thing decreases. decreasingly adv.
[ ME f. OF de(s)creiss-, pres. stem of de(s)creistre ult. f. L decrescere (as DE-, crescere cret- grow) ]