DWINDLE


Meaning of DWINDLE in English

/dwin"dl/ , v. , dwindled, dwindling .

v.i.

1. to become smaller and smaller; shrink; waste away: His vast fortune has dwindled away.

2. to fall away, as in quality; degenerate.

v.t.

3. to make smaller and smaller; cause to shrink: Failing health dwindles ambition.

[ 1590-1600; dwine (now dial.) to waste away (ME; OE dwinan; c. MD dwinen to languish, ON dvina to pine away) + -LE ]

Syn. 1. diminish, decline, lessen, wane. See decrease. 3. lessen.

Ant. 1. increase. 3. magnify.

Random House Webster's Unabridged English dictionary.      Полный английский словарь Вебстер - Random House .