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| Date: | 1300-1400 |
| Language: | French |
| Origin: | décliner, from Latin declinare 'to turn aside, inflect' |
1 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.
decrease
[intransitive]
Spending on information technology has declined.Car sales have declined by a quarter.After the war, the city declined in importance.2 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.
say no
[intransitive and transitive] formalOffered the position of chairman, Smith declined, preferring to keep his current job.Mary declined a hot drink and went to her room. 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.
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 to become gradually worse in quality [= deteriorate]: Her health has been declining progressively for several months. Qualified staff are leaving and standards are declining.
become worse
[intransitive]Her health has been declining progressively for several months.Qualified staff are leaving and standards are declining.5
grammar
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
b) [transitive]SL if you decline a noun, pronoun, or adjective, you show the various forms that it can take
—declining adjective: declining attendance at baseball games
declining attendance at baseball games