minish, v. Now only arch.
(ˈmɪnɪʃ)
Forms: 4–5 menus(e, (4 mynus(c)h, menus(c)h, Sc. menes, myniss, 5 menuze), 4–6 mynyssh(e, 5 minussh, (minys, minise, -issh, mynes(ch, mynuyssh, mynyss), 5–6 mynys, 6 mynish(e, (-issh, -essh, -usshe, myn(n)yshe), minishe, -issh(e), mynysch(e, Sc. menis(che, 6– minish.
[ad. OF. menusier, menuisier = Pr. menuzar, It. minuzzare:—vulgar Latin *minūtiāre, f. minūt-us minute a. Cf. mince v.]
1. trans. To make fewer in number or less in size; to make less in amount or degree; to reduce in power, influence, etc. (rarely † const. of).
| c 1375 [see minishing vbl. n.]. 1382 Wyclif Wisd. xi. 8 Whan thei weren mynusht [Vulg. minuerentur]..thou ȝeue to them abundende water. c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶303 (Cambr. MS.) Ek ȝif he withdrawe or menuse the almesse of the poore. c 1440 Alphabet of Tales 31, I remevid þis stone in þe feld, to þe entent þat I wolde enlarge myne awn ground & mynys oþer mens ground. 1465 Paston Lett. II. 175 And yff they wold wyrke ayenst me to minussh my power. 1513 Douglas æneis i. Prol. 371 Latyne wordis..That in our leid ganand translatioun hes nane, Les than we menis thar sentence and grauite. 1535 Coverdale Ps. cvi[i]. 39 When they are minished & brought lowe thorow oppression. 1538 Starkey England i. i. 14 Vertues..be no les vertues, nor mynyschyd of theyr excellency, by any such frantyke fansy. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. V 46 b, His armie by sickenesse was sore minished and appaired. 1614 Jackson Creed iii. xxi. §18 The testimonies of the Law and Prophesies, serued as a light..to minish the terrors of the night. 1826 Scott Woodst. iii, I may come to trouble, since it may be thought I have minished their numbers. 1848 Lowell Biglow P. Poems 1890 II. 68, I would not..minish by a tittle the respect due to the Magistrate. |
| absol. 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. (Percy Soc.) 111 She [Nature] werketh upon all wonderly, Bothe for to minysshe and to multeply. |
b. To break up
into (powder, parts).
| 1382 Wyclif 2 Kings xxiii. 15 And that heeȝ auter he..mynuschede in to poudre. 1851 Landor Popery 33 Our kingdom is minished into parts and parcels. |
† c. To reduce (a coin) by clipping or sweating.
Obs. rare.
Cf. diminish v. 1 b.
| 1622 [see minished ppl. a.]. |
2. To remove, withdraw (a portion
of or
from something).
| c 1483 Caxton Chaucer's Cant. T., Proheme, I had made it accordyng to my copye and by me was nothyng added ne mynusshyd. 1525 Test. Ebor. (Surtees) V. 207 Shall mynysche noe part of yere. 1581 W. Stafford Exam. Compl. i. (1876) 19 We are forced, either to minishe the third part of our househoulde, or to raise the thirde part of our reuenewes. 1860 Pusey Min. Proph. 342 What they minish from the measure, that they add to the wrath of God. |
b. absol.| c 1400 Apol. Loll. 3 Not presumand to put to His lawe, ne to minys þerfro. ? 1421 Lett. Marg. Anjou & Bp. Beckington (Camden) 28 And ever to have libertee to adde and minise chaunge and amende. 1506 Bury Wills (Camden) 108 Myn executours shall mynysshe as they thynke accordyng to conciens. 1526 Tindale Rev. xxii. 19 And yf eny man shall mynnyshe of the wordes off the boke of this prophesy. |
3. To decry the importance or worth of; to depreciate, belittle.
| 1402 Pol. Poems (Rolls) II. 53 Thi baffyng, lye thou never so lowde, may not menuse this seint [Wyclif]. Ibid. 85 Thou assentist thi silf in tresoun, menusynge the kyngis majeste. 1866 J. B. Rose tr. Ovid's Metam. 136 Vaunted the Titan deeds, and minished those Of the great gods. |
4. intr. To become less in quantity, number, size, power, etc.
| 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. iv. vii. (1495) 90 As fatnesse wexyth the blode mynysshyth. 1494 Fabyan Chron. v. cxviii. 94 Careticus..prouyd the strengthe of his enemyes, and sawe y{supt} they increasyd, and his knyghtis lassed and mynysshed. 1511–12 Act 3 Hen. VIII, c. 3 Preamble, Archerie..is right litell used but dayly mynessheth decayth and abateth. 1535 Coverdale 2 Sam. iii. 1 But Dauid wente and increased, and the house of Saul wente and mynished. 1535 Stewart Cron. Scot. III. 539 Quhilk causit science to grow..And vice to menische ilk da les and les. 1901 Henley Hawthorn & Lavender 7 The sovran sun, As he goes southing, weakening, minishing, Almighty in obedience. |
Hence
ˈminished ppl. a. Also
ˈminisher.
| 1564 Becon Wks. Pref. A v, He is not Episcopus, but Aposcopus, not a Minister, but a Minisher. 1590 Spenser F. Q. i. xi. 43 The paw yett missed not his minisht might. 1622 Bacon Hen. VII 215 In making all clipped, minished, or impaired Coines of Siluer, not to bee currant in payments. |