Middle English Dictionary Entry
dēcrēsen v.
Entry Info
| Forms | dēcrēsen v. Also decreasen, -crecen, -cressen & discresen, -crecen, -creace, -crescen. Ppl. dēcrēsed, dēcrēst. |
| Etymology | From dēcrēs ; also, cp. L dēcrescere & OF descroistre. |
Definitions (Senses and Subsenses)
1.
(a) To decrease in amount, size, or number; diminish, ebb, subside, wane; of days: become shorter; (b) to reduce (sth.) in amount or number.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1398) *Trev.Barth.(Add 27944)115a/b : In þe risinge of þe mone, þe see swelliþ and encresith and flowiþ by est and ebbiþ & decresiþ by west.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.4883 : For day be day sodeynly þei deye, And her noumbre fast gan discresse.
- a1425(a1382) WBible(1) (Corp-O 4)Gen.8.5 : The watres ȝeden and decreesseden [L descrescebant; WB(2): decresiden] vnto the tenthe moneth.
- ?a1425(c1400) Mandev.(1) (Tit C.16)28/6 : Þanne begynneth the ryuere for to wane & to decrece [Eg: decreesse; F descroistre] lytyl & lytyll.
- ?a1425 *Chauliac(1) (NY 12)134a/a : At 3a. houre, þe mone decresyng [*Ch.(2): wanynge; L crescente], not goyng in ariete, þe tone eie y-bounden, be he sette in a place wele clere.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.1037 : The floodis began to discrese.
- 1447 Bokenham Sts.(Arun 327)3345 : Eche day shuld growen & encrese Crystyn relygyoun þrogh þer lore, And paynymry wansyn & discrese.
- c1450(1410) Walton Boeth.(Lin-C 103)p.205 : For of substance devyne þe forme is þis: þat he may noght augmenten ne decresse Be no foreyne þyng.
- c1450 Royal SSecr.(Roy 18.A.7)28/21 : Tymes chaungen, and Ryvers discresen, and wellis wexen litille.
- a1475(?a1430) Lydg.Pilgr.(Vit C.13)23610 : The kyng..maketh their goodes to discresse.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)10/327 : All his dyscyples than do dyscres and forsake cryst.
- a1500 BodAdd.A.106 Lapid.(BodAdd A.106)p.54 : Selinete is a precyous ston..he cresses & dyscresses wen ye mon cresses & dyscresses.
- a1500 Length DYear (Hrl 941)319 : The day decreseth an owre; and so the vj day of August, the son arysyth iij quarteres after iiij.
- 1534(?a1500) Cov.Pl.W.(CovCorp(1))983 : And when ther goodis are decrest, With all thy myght thow schuldist them succure.
b
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)3.3652 : We shal oure store discresen and dispende.
- c1425(a1420) Lydg.TB (Aug A.4)4.2726 : But he..manfully gan hem to encombre, And to lasse & to discres her noumbre.
- (1429) Proc.Privy C.3.333 : Þe poeple of þis land is lessed and decresced of late tyme by mortalitee.
- (c1449) Pecock Repr.(Cmb Kk.4.26)65 : That no man..schulde encrece or decrece the text or proces of the same book clepid the Apocalips.
2.
(a) To decline in quality or intensity; become poorer, weaker, or less noble; of laws: fall into disuse; (b) to reduce (sth.) in quality or strength; damage, detract from, weaken; -- also without obj.
Associated quotations
a
- (a1393) Gower CA (Frf 3)5.1851 : The feith discresceth, And all moral vertu cesseth.
- (c1410) York MGame (Vsp B.12)42 : Natures of men and of alle beestes goon eueremore descendyng and decresyng, bothe of lif and of goodnesse.
- ?a1425(c1380) Chaucer Bo.(Benson-Robinson)5.pr.6.83 : For this ilke infinit moevyng of temporel thinges..faileth and fallith into moevynge fro the simplicite of the presence of God, and discresith into the infinit quantite of futur and of preterit.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)138/11 : Þo louys & goodys..schulde discres my lofe a-ȝens þe.
- (a1438) MKempe A (Add 61823)162/21 : Hir grace was not discresyd but raþar encresyd.
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.2065 : His glory gan discrecen and withdrawe.
- ?c1450(?a1400) Wycl.Clergy HP (Lamb 551)380 : Siþ þe chirche encresid in possessyouns, it haþ decresid in vertues.
- ?a1475 Ludus C.(Vsp D.8)211/31 : Oure joy wyll sone dyscres.
- ?a1475(?a1425) Higd.(2) (Hrl 2261)3.255 : So the lawes decreasede [L obsoleverunt] by a lytel and lytelle vn-tille that grete Constantyne founde newe lawes.
- a1500(1413) *Pilgr.Soul (Eg 615)[5.1] 86b : I a bood..in my peyne þat I suffred, so þat alwey it discreased and waxe lasse and lasse.
- a1500(?a1430) ?Hoccl.7 Joys Virg.(Cmb Kk.1.6)52 : Þese seuene joyes cleer schal neuer ffaade Nor ȝit discreese.
b
- (?a1439) Lydg.FP (Bod 263)1.5213 : It hadde be routhe..to discrece in ony manys siht His glorious prowesse.
- (a1470) Malory Wks.(Win-C)360/10 : Ye can nat love so well but I shall rather encrece hyt than discrece hit.
- c1475 Chartier Quad.(1) (UC 85)137/4 : The good Lord deuideth His grace after the diuersitees of the persoones, the tymes and the places, and as a maister .. chaungeth, encreesith and dyscreecith [CQ(2): amynuschith], maketh and vnmaketh in His werkes aftir His pleasire and moost resonable volunte.
- ?c1475 *Cath.Angl.(Add 15562)33a : To Decresse [Monson: Decrese]:..retundare.
- 1543(1464) Hardyng Chron.B (Grafton)p.246 : He forsake Chrystes owne monarchye..The Chrysten fayth to mayntayne and encrease, For couetyse his brother to discreace.