Verb

(es)

To make smaller.

* {{quote-magazine, date=2012-12-14

, author=Simon Jenkins, authorlink=Simon Jenkins, volume=188, issue=2, page=23 , date=2012-12-21, magazine=(The Guardian Weekly) , title= We mustn't overreact to North Korea boys' toys , passage=The threat of terrorism to the British lies in the overreaction to it of British governments. Each one in turn clicks up the ratchet of surveillance, intrusion and security. Each one diminishes liberty.}}

To become smaller.

* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-20, volume=408, issue=8845, magazine=(The Economist)

, title= Old soldiers? , passage=Whether modern, industrial man is less or more warlike than his hunter-gatherer ancestors is impossible to determine.

To lessen the authority or dignity of; to put down; to degrade; to abase; to weaken.

* Robynson (More's Utopia)

This doth nothing diminish their opinion.

* Bible, Ezekiel xxix. 15

I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations.

* Milton

O thou at whose sight all the stars / Hide their diminished heads.

To taper.

To disappear gradually.

To take away; to subtract.

* Bible, Deuteronomy iv. 2

Neither shall ye diminish aught from it.

(music) To reduce a perfect or minor interval by a semitone.

Verb

(determin)

To set the limits of.

* Bible, Acts xvii. 26

[God] hath determined the times before appointed.

* Francis Bacon

The knowledge of men hitherto hath been determined by the view or sight.

To ascertain definitely; to figure out.

* {{quote-magazine, date=2013-07-20, volume=408, issue=8845, magazine=(The Economist)

, title= Old soldiers? , passage=Whether modern, industrial man is less or more warlike than his hunter-gatherer ancestors is impossible to determine . The machine gun is so much more lethal than the bow and arrow that comparisons are meaningless.}}

To fix the form or character of; to shape; to prescribe imperatively; to regulate; to settle.

* J. Edwards

The character of the soul is determined by the character of its God.

* W. Black

something divinely beautiful that at some time or other might influence or even determine her course of life

To fix the course of; to impel and direct; with a remoter object preceded by to .

Someone else's will determined me to this course.

To bring to a conclusion, as a question or controversy; to settle authoritative or judicial sentence; to decide.

The court has determined the cause.

To resolve on; to have a fixed intention of; also, to cause to come to a conclusion or decision; to lead.

The news of his father's illness determined him to depart immediately.

(logic) To define or limit by adding a differentia.

(obsolete) To bring to an end; to finish.

* Shakespeare

Now, where is he that will not stay so long / Till his friend sickness hath determined me?