decline

v., -clined, -clin·ing, -clines.

v.intr.

1. To express polite refusal.
2. 1. To slope downward; descend.
   2. To bend downward; droop.
3. To degrade or lower oneself; condescend.
4. To deteriorate gradually; fail.
5. 1. To sink, as the setting sun.
   2. To draw to a gradual close; wane.

v.tr.

1. To refuse politely: I declined their offer of help. See synonyms at refuse¹.
2. To cause to slope or bend downward.
3. Grammar. To inflect (a noun, a pronoun, or an adjective) for number and case.

n.

1. The process or result of declining, especially a gradual deterioration.
2. A downward movement.
3. The period when something approaches an end.
4. A downward slope; a declivity.
5. A disease that gradually weakens or wastes the body.

[Middle English declinen, from Old French decliner, from Latin dēclīnāre, to turn away, bend downward, change the form of a word : dē-, de- + -clīnāre, to lean, bend.]

declinable de·clin'a·ble adj.
decliner de·clin'er n.

verb

1. To be unwilling to accept, consider, or receive: dismiss, refuse, reject, spurn, turn down. Slang nix. Idioms: turn thumbs down on. See accept/reject.
2. To slope downward: descend, dip, drop, fall, pitch, sink. See rise/fall.
3. To become lower in quality, character, or condition: atrophy, degenerate, descend, deteriorate, retrograde, sink, worsen. Idioms: go bad, go to pot, go to seed, go to the dogs. See better/worse.
4. To lose strength or power: degenerate, deteriorate, fade, fail, flag, languish, sink, wane, waste (away), weaken. Informal fizzle (out). Idioms: go downhill, hit the skids. See increase/decrease, strong/weak.

noun

1. Descent to a lower level or condition: atrophy, decadence, declension, declination, degeneracy, degeneration, deterioration. See better/worse.
2. A marked loss of strength or effectiveness: declination, deterioration, failure. See increase/decrease.
3. A usually swift downward trend, as in prices: descent, dip, dive, downslide, downswing, downtrend, downturn, drop, drop-off, fall, nosedive, plunge, skid, slide, slump, tumble. See increase/decrease.
4. A downward slope or distance: declivity, descent, drop, fall, pitch. See rise/fall.

n

Definition: downward change in value, position
Antonyms: ascent, increase, rise

n

Definition: lessening
Antonyms: betterment, improvement, increase, rise

v

Definition: descend
Antonyms: ascend, go up, rise

v

Definition: lessen, become less
Antonyms: improve, increase, rise

v

Definition: say no
Antonyms: accept, say yes

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IN BRIEF: To slope downward. Also: to refuse or turn something down politely.

Weary and hot from hiking, the campers were relieved when the trail began to decline into the shade of the cool valley.

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Dansk (Danish)
v. intr. - svækkes, mindskes, melde afbud, skrante, falde, dale, gå på hæld
v. tr. - frabede sig, afslå, undvige, afstå fra, bøje, bøje nedad
n. - nedgang, undergang, aftagen, fald, svindsot

idioms:

• declining years    sidste leveår
• in decline    i forfald, for nedadgående
• on the decline    i tilbagegang

Nederlands (Dutch)
verminderen, achteruitgaan, dalen, weigeren, verbuigen, daling, achteruitgang, verval, neergang

Français (French)
v. intr. - décliner, baisser, tomber en décadence (un empire), être en baisse (des prix), péricliter, s'incliner, descendre (une pente), se coucher (le soleil), tirer à sa fin (une journée), (Ling) se décliner
v. tr. - refuser (de faire), décliner (une invitation), rejeter (des responsabilité), (Jur) se déclarer (incompétent), (Ling) décliner
n. - déclin, décadence, baisse

idioms:

• declining years    déclin de la vie
• in decline    sur le déclin
• on the decline    sur le déclin, en diminution, en baisse

Deutsch (German)
v. - ablehnen, deklinieren, beugen, nachlassen, abnehmen, herunterkommen
n. - Verfall, Rückgang, Abnahme

idioms:

• declining years    die letzten Lebensjahre
• in decline    rückläufig
• on the decline    (ugs.) auf dem absteigenden Ast, nachlassen

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - κλίνω, γέρνω, παρακμάζω, ξεπέφτω, αποποιούμαι, αρνούμαι, (γραμμ.) κλίνω
n. - παρακμή, κατάπτωση, ξεπεσμός, μαρασμός, κατωφέρεια, κατηφόρα, (οικον.) πτώση (τιμών), ύφεση, δύση, τελευταία στάδια

idioms:

• declining years    προχωρημένη ηλικία, γεράματα
• in decline    σε παρακμή
• on the decline    σε παρακμή, σε πτώση

Italiano (Italian)
rifiutare, declinare, deperire, declino, calo

idioms:

• declining years    vecchiaia
• on the/in decline    in declino

Português (Portuguese)
v. - declinar
n. - declínio (m)

idioms:

• declining years    período (m) de decadência
• on the/in decline    em declínio

Русский (Russian)
отклонять, склонять, идти на убыль, приходить в упадок, упадок, падение

idioms:

• declining years    преклонные годы
• on the/in decline    в упадке

Español (Spanish)
v. intr. - rehusar, rechazar, negarse, inclinar, declinar, bajar, disminuir, decaer, terminarse, deteriorarse, descender
v. tr. - rehusar, rechazar, negarse, inclinar, declinar, bajar, disminuir, decaer
n. - decadencia, declinación, deterioro, descenso, baja, disminución, progreso hacia el fin, última fase

idioms:

• declining years    los últimos años, el ocaso de la vida
• in decline    en declive o en decadencia, en descenso
• on the decline    en declive o en decadencia, en descenso

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - slutta nedåt, luta, sjunka, dala
n. - sluttning, avtagande, nedgång, förfall

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
下降, 下跌, 衰退, 衰落, 减少, 倾斜, 婉拒, 使发生词尾变化, 使变格, 谢绝, 最后部分

idioms:

• declining years    晚年
• in decline    在下降, 在减小
• on the decline    在下降

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. intr. - 下降, 下跌, 衰退, 衰落, 減少, 傾斜
v. tr. - 婉拒, 使發生詞尾變化, 使變格, 謝絕
n. - 下降, 衰退, 衰落, 減少, 最後部分

idioms:

• declining years    晚年
• in decline    在下降, 在減小
• on the decline    在下降

한국어 (Korean)
v. intr. - 거절하다, 기울어지다, 감소하다
v. tr. - 사퇴하다, 기울이다, (문법에서) 꼴을 변화 시키다
n. - 사향길, 종말

idioms:

• in decline    하락하는

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - 断る, 傾く, 沈む, 語形変化させる, 衰える, 下がる, 下り坂になる
n. - 衰弱, 低下, 減少, 下落, 下り坂

idioms:

• on the/in decline    傾いて, 衰えて

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يرفض ( طلب شخص بأدب) , يضعف, ينحرف, ينحدر (الاسم) فقدان تدريجي وباستمرار لقوة أو مقدرة أو أرقام‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. intr. - ‮ירד, הידרדר, שקע, סירב, דחה, פחת, התקרב לסופו (יום וכו')‬
v. tr. - ‮דחה, סירב בנימוס, נרתע מ-, היטה (בדקדוק)‬
n. - ‮שקיעה, ירידה‬

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decline bench	Decline/incline Bench Press
Decline Weight Bench	Impex Flat & Decline Ab Bench