- Main Entry:
- 1de·cline
- Pronunciation:
-
\di-ˈklīn, dē-\
- Function:
- verb
- Inflected Form(s):
- de·clined; de·clin·ing
- Etymology:
- Middle English, from Anglo-French decliner, from Latin declinare to turn aside, inflect, from de- + clinare to incline — more at lean
- Date:
- 14th century
intransitive verb1archaic : to turn from a straight course : stray2 a: to slope downward : descend b: to bend down : droop c: to stoop to what is unworthy3 aof a celestial body : to sink toward setting b: to draw toward a close : wane <the day declined>4: to tend toward an inferior state or weaker condition <his health declined> <morale declined>5: to withhold consent6: to become less in amount <prices declined>transitive verb1: to give in prescribed order the grammatical forms of (a noun, pronoun, or adjective)2obsolete a: avert b: avoid3: to cause to bend or bow downward4 a: to refuse to undertake, undergo, engage in, or comply with <decline battle> b: to refuse especially courteously <decline an invitation>
—
de·clin·able \-ˈklī-nə-bəl\ adjective —
de·clin·er \-ˈklī-nər\ noun synonyms decline,
refuse,
reject,
repudiate,
spurn mean to turn away by not accepting, receiving, or considering.
decline often implies courteous refusal especially of offers or invitations
<declined his party's nomination>.
refuse suggests more positiveness or ungraciousness and often implies the denial of something asked for
<refused to lend them the money>.
reject implies a peremptory refusal by sending away or discarding
<rejected the manuscript as unpublishable>.
repudiate implies a casting off or disowning as untrue, unauthorized, or unworthy of acceptance
<teenagers who repudiate the values of their parents>.
spurn stresses contempt or disdain in rejection or repudiation
<spurned his overtures of friendship>.
