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The act of lessening dignity or consideration, or the state of being deprived of dignity; a lowering in estimation; degradation; abasement. The world's opinion or diminution of me. Eikon Basilike. Nor thinks it diminution to be ranked In military honor next. Philips.

reat with indignity, or as unworthy in the sight of others; to stain the character of; to lessen the reputation of; as, the duelist dishonors himself to maintain his honor. Nothing . . . that may dishonor Our law, or stain my vow of Nazarite. Milton.

ting in honor; not honorable; bringing or deserving dishonor; staining the character, and lessening the reputation; shameful; disgraceful; base.

Bringing dishonor on; tending to disgrace; lessening reputation. Holmes.

To diminish the quantity of; to lessen. [Obs.] Shak.

when closehauled. -- To ease the helm (Naut.), to put the helm more nearly amidships, to lessen the effect on the ship, or the strain on the wheel rope. Ham. Nav. Encyc.

To lessen; to detract from; to disparage. [A Latin meaning] [Obs.] Jer. Taylor. To elevate a piece (Gun.), to raise the muzzle; to lower the breech.

To make thin or slender; to draw out so as to lessen the thickness. His body behind the head becomes broad, from whence it is again extenuated all the way to the tail. Grew.

g extenuated; the act of making thin, slender, or lean, or of palliating; diminishing, or lessening; palliation, as of a crime; mitigation, as of punishment. To listen . . . to every extenuation of what is evil. I. Taylor.

To make easy or less difficult; to free from difficulty or impediment; to lessen the labor of; as, to facilitate the execution of a task. To invite and facilitate that line of proceeding which the times call for. I. Taylor.

To diminish; to lessen or lower. [Obs.] Upon lessening interest to four per cent, you fall the price of your native commodities. Locke.

Anything serving as a cushion to lessen the shock when a vessel comes in contact with another vessel or a wharf.

Out of the neighborhood of; lessening or losing proximity to; leaving behind; by reason of; out of; by aid of; -- used whenever departure, setting out, commencement of action, being, state, occurrence, etc., or procedure, emanation, absence, separation, etc., are to be expressed. It is construed with, and indicates, th…

up, helm aweather. -- To ease the helm, to let the tiller come more amidships, so as to lessen the strain on the rudder. -- To feel the helm, to obey it. -- To right the helm, to put it amidships. -- To shift the helm, to bear the tiller over to the corresponding position on the opposite side of the vessel. Ham. N…

A lessening; diminution; decrease. [R.] Ray.

(a) To hurt or wound, as the person; to impair soundness, as of health. (b) To damage or lessen the value of, as goods or estate. (c) To slander, tarnish, or impair, as reputation or character. (d) To impair or diminish, as happiness or virtue. (e) To give pain to, as the sensibilities or the feelings; to grieve; to a…

To render invalid; to weaken or lessen the force of; to destroy the authority of; to render of no force or effect; to overthrow; as, to invalidate an agreement or argument.

A board, or frame of planks, lowered over the side of a vessel to lessen her leeway when closehauled, by giving her greater draught.

To make less; to lessen. [Obs.] Gower.

Wonder. [R.] "Use lessens marvel." Sir W. Scott. Marvel of Peru. (Bot.) See Four-o'clock.