▪ I. † dimiˈnute, a. Obs.
Also 5–6 de-.
[ad. L. dī-, dēminūt-us, pa. pple. of dī-, dēminuĕre to diminish.]
Diminished, lessened; abated; incomplete, defective.
diminute conversion (Logic), conversio per accidens, in which the converse asserts less than the convertend, as in ‘All the natives were slaves: Some slaves were natives.’
| c 1450 Henryson Fables Prol. 41 (Jam. Suppl.) Gif that ye find ocht..Be diminute, or yit superfluous. c 1475 Partenay 5680 He and his land shold be disherite, Exile and deminute by his dedes smart. 1533 More Apol. viii. Wks. 861/2 That hee neuer wrote that sermon himselfe, but that some of hys audience..dydde wryte it dyminute, and mangled for lacke of good remembraunce. 1557 Recorde Whetst. A iv b, If the partes make lesse than the whole nomber..then is that nomber called Diminute, or Defectiue. As .8. hath these partes .1..2..4. whiche make but .7. 1651–3 Jer. Taylor Serm. for Year i. xxiv. 304 Affix prices made diminute and lessened to such proportions and abatements. 1731 Chandler tr. Limborch's Hist. Inquis. II. 32 He who confesses an heretical Action or Word, but denies the wicked Intention..is..to be delivered over as a diminute, impenitent, and negative Heretick. |
b. Diminutive, minute.
| 1611 Sir A. Gorges (T.), The first seeds of things are little and diminute. |
▪ II. diˈminute, v. rare.
[f. L. dī-, dēminūt- ppl. stem of dī-, dēminuĕre to diminish.]
trans. To lessen; to belittle; = diminish v. 3.
| 1560 Rolland Crt. Venus iii. 905, I imploir..ȝe not deiect the dignitie nor gloir, Spulȝe, nor reif, diminute nor deploir Into na sort thes deifeit Goddes. 1883 J. C. Morison in Macm. Mag. 200 The repugnant task of diminuting our hero has been forced upon us. |