decline

英[dɪ'klaɪn]，美[dɪ'klaɪn]

n. 减少, 下降; 衰落, 衰退
v. 下降; 衰落; 谢绝, 婉言拒绝
助记：de-向下，离开 + clin-倾斜，下降 + -e，引申义婉言拒绝。

词 源 树

权威词源导读

decline (n.) - 14世纪早期，"deterioration, degeneration"，源自古法语declin (参见decline (v.))。

decline (v.) - 14世纪晚期，"to turn aside, deviate"，源自古法语decliner "to sink, decline, degenerate, turn aside"，源自拉丁语declinare "to lower; avoid, deviate; bend from, inflect"，源自de- "from" (参看：de-) + clinare "to bend"，源自PIE*klein-，词根*klei- "to lean" 的后缀形式。大约1400开始de-被解释为 "downward" 单词的含义也发生改变。含义 "not to consent, politely refuse" 始于17世纪30年代。同根词：Declined; declining。

词源说明（童理民）

1. decline : de-,向下，离开，-clin,弯，转，词源同lean,incline.即向下转开，引申词义婉言拒绝。

21世纪大英汉词典

#declinevt.1.■拒绝，拒不(做、进入、考虑等)：He declined to address the delegates.他拒绝向代表们发表讲话。She declined to say more about the plan.她拒绝对此计划再说些什么。2.■谢绝，婉言拒绝，婉辞：to decline an offer婉言拒绝一个提议to decline an invitation谢绝一个邀请3.■使倾斜，使下倾，使下降；使低垂，使下垂；使歪斜：He declined his head in despair.他垂头丧气。She came into the room with her head declined.她低垂着头走进房间。4.■【语法学】5.■变化(名词、代词或形容词)的词尾,使(静词)发生词尾变化;使变格(如拉丁语puella变化为5个单数形式? puella,puellae,puellae,puellam,puella)[参较conjugate]6.■按顺序背诵某个名词、代词或形容词的词形变化7.■[废语]避免；防止，挡开vi.1.■谢绝，婉辞；(婉言)拒绝：I sent her an invitation but she declined.我向她发出邀请，但她谢绝了。2.■(道路、物体等)下倾，下垂，下降，下落，歪斜，倾斜：The hill declines to the river.山脚向着河畔倾斜。The road declines sharp at this point.道路在这个地方突然倾斜。3.■(太阳等)落下，(日)落，没，下沉：The sun declined in the skies.太阳在天边落下。4.■(如一日)接近终了，接近结束，接近末尾，近尾声，行将完结；消逝：The day is declining.时近黄昏。The autumn is now declining.秋天即将过去。5.■(力量、体力、精力上)衰退，衰落，衰老，衰弱，减弱：His health has been declining these past weeks.过去几周里他的健康状况变得越来越坏。6.■(在品格、价值上)降低，降落，减退；走下坡路：The dollar declined on the open market.美元在公开市场上下跌了。7.■缩小；衰弱；消失：to decline in popularity名望下降Her popularity declined after 1990's and be retired.20世纪90年代之后她的名望下降并退休了。8.■(价格、产值、人口等)下降，减少：The president said that the gross national product had declined by a big margin.总统说国民生产总值已大幅度下降。9.■堕落；沦落：She has declined into a street girl.她已沦为妓女。10.■屈尊，降落11.■[废语]偏离，背离n.1.■下倾，倾斜，下垂；斜坡，斜面2.■(价格、人口等的)下降；减少；落下3.■(力量、健康、品格、权力、价值等的)衰退，衰落，衰微，衰败；减退；堕落4.■(人、生命等的)衰退期，衰落期；(消耗病如肺病的)结束期；(疾病等的)减退期5.■晚期，后期，结束期，最后部分，结束部分，晚年6.■(如太阳)落山，西下7.■(如一日)终了，尾声8.■[口语](消耗性)疾病(如肺病)近义词refuserejectrepudiatespurnturn down反义词acceptdecline and fall衰亡，衰败decline with thanks(婉言)谢绝(通常用作反语，实指不屑一顾地拒绝)fall (或go,sink) into a decline开始衰落，衰退，衰弱下去；生肺病on the decline在低落中；在衰退中the decline of life晚年，暮年变形vt.declineddeclining#