decline

 Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++朗文当代英语 5++LDOCE 5++朗文 5++de·cline1 /dɪˈklaɪn/ ●●○ W3 AWL noun [singular, uncountable]  LESSa decrease in the quality, quantity, or importance of something 衰落，没落；减少，削减decline in There has been a decline in the size of families. 家庭的规模已有缩小。decline of the decline of manufacturing 制造业的衰落rapid/sharp/steep/dramatic decline a rapid decline in unemployment 失业的迅速减少steady/gradual/long-term decline The island’s population initially numbered 180, but there was a gradual decline until only 40 people were left. 该岛人口原来有180人，后来逐渐减少到只剩下40人。 the economic decline faced by many cities 许多城市面临的经济衰退in decline/on the decline (=falling) 在下降 the widely held belief that educational standards are in decline 教育水准在下降的普遍观点fall/go etc into decline (=become less important, successful etc) 衰落 The port fell into decline in the 1950s. 20世纪50年代，这个港口开始衰落了。n COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: adjectivessharp/steep (=by a large amount)The higher prices caused a sharp decline in sales.rapid (=fast)We noticed a rapid decline in his health.dramatic (=extremely fast, and by a large amount)The last three years have seen a dramatic decline in the number of tigers in the area.marked (=very noticeable)Hunting led to a marked decline in bird numbers.gradualAfter 1870, there was a gradual decline of the disease.steady/progressive (=gradual but continuous)There has been a steady decline in club membership.a long-term decline (=happening for a long time)The long-term decline in the manufacturing industry is still continuing.economic/industrial etc declineThis area has been severely affected by long-term industrial decline.verbscause/lead to a declineThe use of agricultural chemicals has led to a decline in water quality.go/fall into decline (=become less important, successful etc)At the beginning of the century the cloth trade was going into decline.suffer a declineThe firm suffered a sharp decline in its profits.stop/halt a decline (=stop it from continuing)These measures are intended to halt the decline in fish populations.reverse a decline (=make something start to improve again)The main aim is to reverse the decline of the world’s environment.see a decline (=used to say that a decline happens at a particular time or in a particular place)The 20th century saw a steady decline in the rural population.

Examples from the Corpus

decline• According to the police, however, there was a decline in the level of violence immediately following the signing of the accord.• A decline in coal demand would benefit either the nuclear or gas industries.• Their biggest decline under coach Barry Switzer has been in pass defense.• Its final decline was brought about by a change in the public attitude to death.• We can expect a further decline in job vacancies.• The underlying assumption is that gradual hormonal decline is bad because some physical functions decline at the same time.• The reaction against Gothic continued despite its decline.• The fur industry is already seeing a major decline in sales.• Firms with large debts may not have the financial strength to survive a prolonged sales decline or a recession.• Stock markets in Europe showed similar declines.• He said the decline is partly because retailers have lifted prices for mobile phones after cutting them earlier in 1995.decline in• a decline in exports

Related topics: Linguistics

decline2 ●●○ W3 AWL verb  1  decrease 减少 [intransitive]LESS to decrease in quantity or importance 减少，降低 Spending on information technology has declined. 用于信息技术的支出减少了。 Car sales have declined by a quarter. 汽车销量下滑了四分之一。 After the war, the city declined in importance. 战后这座城市的重要性下降了。► see thesaurus at decrease2  say no 拒绝 [intransitive, transitive]REFUSE formal to say no politely when someone invites you somewhere, offers you something, or wants you to do something 拒绝，谢绝 Offered the position of chairman, Smith declined, preferring to keep his current job. 对担任主席的邀约，史密斯拒绝了，他宁愿留在现在的职位上。 Mary declined a hot drink and went to her room. 玛丽谢绝了热饮料，到自己的房间去了。decline an offer/invitation etc Mary declined Jay’s invitation to dinner. 玛丽谢绝了杰伊请吃晚饭的邀请。decline to do something The court declined to review her case. 法院拒绝复审她的案子。 The minister declined to comment (=refused to speak to people who report the news) about the progress of the peace talks. 部长拒绝就和谈进程发表评论。► see thesaurus at refuse3  become worse 变糟 [intransitive]WORSE to become gradually worse in quality 〔质量〕逐渐变差 SYN deteriorate Her health has been declining progressively for several months. 几个月来她的健康状况不断恶化。 Qualified staff are leaving and standards are declining. 称职的员工不断离去，质量水平持续下降。4. somebody’s declining years formalOLD/NOT NEW the last years of someone’s life 某人的晚年[暮年]5  grammar 语法 a) [intransitive]SL if a noun, pronoun, or adjective declines, its form changes according to whether it is the subject, object etc of a sentence 变格，词形变化〔名词、代词或形容词根据其在句中是作主语、宾语或是其他成分，形式发生相应变化〕 b) [transitive]SL if you decline a noun, pronoun, or adjective, you show the various forms that it can take 列出〔名词等的〕词形变化 —declining adjective declining attendance at baseball games 棒球赛观众人数的减少→ See Verb table

Examples from the Corpus

decline• Computer sales declined 2.1 percent this year.• When asked to comment on details of the agreement, the President declined.• Defence equipment's share of sales, if not yet profit, is declining.• Ed asked me to run the new division for them, but I declined.• The bishop was invited to attend the opening ceremony, but he declined.• Riker, a radio preacher, saw his popularity decline after World War II.• Sir Alfred's interest was declining and Louis Stanley, his brother-in-law, was playing a bigger part.• Water quality is declining due to too many dams and pumps.• The pilot declined medical treatment after the accident.• In the early 1970s some of these movements began to decline or were suppressed, but others continued to flourish.• A State Department spokesman, also displaying a talent for diplomacy, declined to characterize the appointment as a promotion.• He declined to comment on the time frame for another discount rate cut.• I asked Mr Hughes if he was satisfied with the jury's verdict but he declined to comment.• The Prime Minister was asked for his opinion but declined to comment.• The brokerage declined to give a forecast for the full year through March.• A security officer at the factory, who declined to give his name, said he had seen two men leave the building.• The cultural and intellectual calibre of the clergy has since declined, while intolerance and aggressiveness are on the increase.• Mr Casey regrets that he will have to decline your kind invitation owing to a prior engagement.decline an offer/invitation etc• He now regretted that he had declined an invitation from Cromwell to be his chaplain two years previously.• Neil Kinnock has again declined an invitation to brief the media's industry hacks at the Labour party conference.• Then Ayling's housekeeper came to ask how many people there would be for lunch and Rain declined an invitation to stay.From Longman Business Dictionarydeclinede‧cline1 /dɪˈklaɪn/ verb [intransitive]1COMMERCEif an industry or country declines, it becomes less profitable, productive, wealthy etcThis type of business is a declining sector of the UK.2COMMERCEMARKETINGif sales, profits, production etc decline, they become lessCar sales have declined by a quarter.As profitability declines, people have started to leave farming.→ See Verb tabledeclinedecline2 noun [countable, uncountable]1when sales, profits, production etc become lessExports had collapsed, causing a sharp decline in national income.The increase in profit came despite a decline in sales.2when an industry or country becomes less profitable, productive, wealthy etcThe decline in the province’s manufacturing sector is worrying.a false and damaging picture of a nation in declineOrigin decline2 (1300-1400) French décliner, from Latin declinare “to turn aside, inflect”

de·cline1 noun →n COLLOCATIONS1decline2 verbLDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable  

or in decrease Business Corpus a something importance the of quantity, quality,

decline

I

de‧cline¹ W2 AC /dɪˈklaɪn/ noun [singular, uncountable]
a decrease in the quality, quantity, or importance of something
    decline in
    There has been a decline in the size of families.
    decline of
    the decline of manufacturing
    rapid/sharp/steep/dramatic decline
    a rapid decline in unemployment
    steady/gradual/long-term decline
    The island’s population initially numbered 180, but there was a gradual decline until only 40 people were left.
    the economic decline faced by many cities
    in decline/on the decline (=falling)
    the widely held belief that educational standards are in decline
    fall/go etc into decline (=become less important, successful etc)
    The port fell into decline in the 1950s.
     

COLLOCATIONS

(for Meaning 2)

■ adjectives
   ▪ sharp/steep (=by a large amount) The higher prices caused a sharp decline in sales.
   ▪ rapid (=fast) We noticed a rapid decline in his health.
   ▪ dramatic (=extremely fast, and by a large amount) The last three years have seen a dramatic decline in the number of tigers in the area.
   ▪ marked (=very noticeable) Hunting led to a marked decline in bird numbers.
   ▪ gradual After 1870, there was a gradual decline of the disease.
   ▪ steady/progressive (=gradual but continuous) There has been a steady decline in club membership.
   ▪ a long-term decline (=happening for a long time) The long-term decline in the manufacturing industry is still continuing.
   ▪ economic/industrial etc decline This area has been severely affected by long-term industrial decline.
■ verbs
   ▪ cause/lead to a decline The use of agricultural chemicals has led to a decline in water quality.
   ▪ go/fall into decline (=become less important, successful etc) At the beginning of the century the cloth trade was going into decline.
   ▪ suffer a decline The firm suffered a sharp decline in its profits.
   ▪ stop/halt a decline (=stop it from continuing) These measures are intended to halt the decline in fish populations.
   ▪ reverse a decline (=make something start to improve again) The main aim is to reverse the decline of the world’s environment.
   ▪ see a decline (=used to say that a decline happens at a particular time or in a particular place) The 20th century saw a steady decline in the rural population.
     

THESAURUS

   ▪ decrease used when the number, amount, or level of something becomes less than it used to be: There has been a significant decrease in the number of deaths from lung cancer. | a 5% decrease in housing prices
   ▪ reduction used when the price, amount, or level of something is made lower: There will be further price reductions in the sales. | A small reduction in costs can mean a large increase in profits.
   ▪ cut used when a government or company reduces the price, amount, or level of something: a 1% cut in interest rates | tax cuts | It is possible that there will be further job cuts.
   ▪ drop/fall used when the number, amount, or level of something goes down, especially by a large amount: The figures showed a sharp fall in industrial output. | There was a dramatic drop in temperature.
   ▪ decline used when the number, amount, level, or standard of something goes down, especially gradually: During the 1970s, there was a gradual decline in the birthrate. | a decline in educational standards

II

decline² W3 AC verb1.  DECREASE  [intransitive] to decrease in quantity or importance:
    Spending on information technology has declined.
    Car sales have declined by a quarter.
    After the war, the city declined in importance.
2.  SAY NO  [intransitive and transitive] formal to say no politely when someone invites you somewhere, offers you something, or wants you to do something:
    Offered the position of chairman, Smith declined, preferring to keep his current job.
    Mary declined a hot drink and went to her room.
    decline an offer/invitation etc
    Mary declined Jay’s invitation to dinner.
    decline to do something
    The court declined to review her case.
    The minister declined to comment (=refused to speak to people who report the news) about the progress of the peace talks.
3.  BECOME WORSE  [intransitive] to become gradually worse in quality
   SYN  deteriorate:
    Her health has been declining progressively for several months.
    Qualified staff are leaving and standards are declining.
4. sb’s declining years formal the last years of someone’s life
5.  GRAMMAR
  a. [intransitive] if a noun, pronoun, or adjective declines, its form changes according to whether it is the subject, object etc of a sentence
  b. [transitive] if you decline a noun, pronoun, or adjective, you show the various forms that it can take
—declining adjective:
    declining attendance at baseball games