dwindle English · revision 1567

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈdwɪn.dəl/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a frequentative and diminutive of ''dwine'' “to waste away”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from Middle English ''dwinen'',^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) [[inh|ang|dwīnan|t=to shrink, waste away]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) with the suffix [[-le]].^(Barnhart 1995)^(RHWU) It is related to Old Norse ''dvína'' “to pine away”^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) and, more distantly, to [[die]].^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To become smaller and smaller; to shrink or waste away (1596, in Shakespeare).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Figurative uses followed quickly: to decline in quality or value (1678).^(OED 1989)^(RHWU) The transitive sense, to make smaller, is recorded before 1661.^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * about 1000 – Old English ''dwīnan''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1596 – to shrink, waste away.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * before 1661 – transitive, to reduce.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1678 – to degenerate.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To become steadily smaller or fewer until little remains; to [[shrink]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To decline in quality; to [[degenerate]].^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To make something steadily smaller.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[die]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House gives ''diminish'', ''decline'', ''lessen'' and ''wane'' as synonyms, refers to ''decrease'' for a discussion, and gives ''increase'' and ''magnify'' as antonyms.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}