decrease

Everyday

1. To decrease is to become smaller or fewer in size, number or amount. tree →
2. To decrease something is to make it smaller or less. tree →
3. A decrease is a fall in amount or number. tree →

In the lessons

In maths, decrease means take away or reduce: «decrease 50 by 10» gives 40, and a percentage decrease of 10% of 50 is 5. In science, temperature, speed or population can decrease; on a graph a decrease is a line going down. Phrases: decrease by, decrease in, a sharp decrease, increase and decrease.

Examples

• Decrease 20 by 5 and you get 15. tree →
• The temperature decreased at night. tree →
• The number of bees has decreased. tree →
• There was a decrease in the price of apples. tree →
• Slow down to decrease your speed. tree →
• The graph shows a steady decrease. tree →
• Sales decreased by half. tree →
• As the warmth increased, the Snow Man decreased. tree →

Note

Stress: verb usually de-CREASE, noun DE-crease. Opposite: increase. Trap in maths: «decrease by 3» means subtract 3, but «decrease to 3» means the new number is 3. A percentage decrease is worked out from the starting amount.

In Jewish tradition

Here it means that the flood waters went down and grew less. In the primary lessons: In maths, decrease means take away or reduce: «decrease 50 by 10» gives 40, and a percentage decrease of 10% of 50 is 5. In science, temperature, speed or population can decrease; on a graph a decrease is a line going down. Phrases: decrease by, decrease in, a sharp decrease, increase and decrease.

Examples

• And the waters returned from off the earth continually; and after the end of a hundred and fifty days the waters decreased. (Torah GEN.8.3, JPS 1917) tree →
• And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen. (Torah GEN.8.5, JPS 1917) tree →
• whole number of things, we multiply at each step by a number decreased by a unit " (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →
• He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly, and suffereth not their cattle to decrease. (Writings PSA.107.38, JPS 1917) tree →

Note

Stress: verb usually de-CREASE, noun DE-crease. Opposite: increase. Trap in maths: «decrease by 3» means subtract 3, but «decrease to 3» means the new number is 3. A percentage decrease is worked out from the starting amount.