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===Etymology===
===Etymology===
From {{inh|en|enm|lessenen}}, {{m|enm|lasnen}}, equivalent to {{af|en|less|-en|pos2=verbal suffix|pos=verb}}.
From {{inh|en|enm|lessenen}}, {{m|enm|lasnen}}, equivalent to {{af|en|less|-en|pos2=verbal suffix|id2=inchoative}}.


===Pronunciation===
===Pronunciation===
* {{enPR|lěʹsən}}, {{IPA|en|/ˈlɛsən/}}
* {{enPR|lěʹsən}}, {{IPA|en|/ˈlɛsən/}}
* {{rhymes|en|ɛsən}}
* {{audio|en|En-us-lessen.ogg|a=US}}
* {{homophone|en|lesson}}
* {{homophone|en|lesson}}
* {{rhymes|en|ɛsən|s=2}}


===Verb===
===Verb===
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# {{lb|en|transitive}} To make [[less]]; to [[diminish]]; to [[reduce]].
# {{lb|en|transitive}} To make [[less]]; to [[diminish]]; to [[reduce]].
#* '''a. 1686''', Benjamin Calamy, ''a sermon''
#* Calamy {{rfdate|en}}
#*: Charity {{...}} shall '''lessen''' his punishment.
#*: Charity {{...}} shall '''lessen''' his punishment.
#* '''December 6, 1709''', {{w|Francis Atterbury}}, ''a sermon preach'd before the sons of the clergy at their anniversary-meeting in the Church of St. Paul''
#* Atterbury {{rfdate|en}}
#*: St. Paul chose to magnify his office when ill men conspired to '''lessen''' it.
#*: St. Paul chose to magnify his office when ill men conspired to '''lessen''' it.
#* {{quote-book|en|title=Walls and Ceilings|editor=Robert M. Jones|ISBN=0809434520|year=1980|publisher=Time-Life Books|page=44
#* {{quote-book|en|title=Walls and Ceilings|editor=Robert M. Jones| ISBN=0809434520| year=1980| publisher=Time-Life Books| page=44| passage=The thin glass that makes mirror tiles light in weight also tends to '''lessen''' their reflective quality.}}
⚫
#* {{quote-journal|en|date=December 16, 2011|author=Denis Campbell| title=Hospital staff 'lack skills to cope with dementia patients'| work=Guardian| url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/dec/16/hospital-staff-dementia-patients| passage=Many hospitals have not taken simple steps to '''lessen''' the distress and confusion which dementia sufferers' often feel on being somewhere so unfamiliar – such as making signs large and easy to read, using colour schemes to help patients find their way around unfamiliar wards and not putting family mementoes such as photographs nearby.}}
|passage=The thin glass that makes mirror tiles light in weight also tends to '''lessen''' their reflective quality.}}
#* {{quote-journal
|en
|date=December 16, 2011
|author=Denis Campbell
|title=Hospital staff 'lack skills to cope with dementia patients'
|work=Guardian
|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/dec/16/hospital-staff-dementia-patients
|page=
⚫
|passage=Many hospitals have not taken simple steps to '''lessen''' the distress and confusion which dementia sufferers' often feel on being somewhere so unfamiliar – such as making signs large and easy to read, using colour schemes to help patients find their way around unfamiliar wards and not putting family mementoes such as photographs nearby.}}
# {{lb|en|intransitive}} To become less.
# {{lb|en|intransitive}} To become less.


Line 33: Line 25:
{{trans-top|to make less}}
{{trans-top|to make less}}
* Armenian: {{t+|hy|պակասեցնել}}
* Armenian: {{t+|hy|պակասեցնել}}
* Bulgarian: {{t+|bg|намалявам}}, {{t+|bg|смалявам}}
* Bulgarian: {{t+|bg|намалявам}}, {{t+|bg|смалявам}}, {{t+|bg|смекчавам}}
* Chinese:
*: Mandarin: {{t+|cmn|減少|tr=jiǎnshǎo}}
* Czech: {{t+|cs|zmenšit}}
* Czech: {{t+|cs|zmenšit}}
* French: {{t+|fr|diminuer}}, {{t+|fr|amoindrir}}, {{t+|fr|réduire}}
* Dutch: {{t+|nl|afzwakken}}, {{t+|nl|korten}}, {{t+|nl|vergoelijken}}, {{t+|nl|verkleinen}}, {{t+|nl|verminderen}}, {{t+|nl|verzachten}}
* French: {{t+|fr|amoindrir}}, {{t+|fr|atténuer}}, {{t+|fr|diminuer}}, {{t+|fr|réduire}}
* Greek:
* Greek:
*: Ancient: {{t|grc|ἐλασσόω}}
*: Ancient: {{t|grc|ἐλασσόω}}, {{t|grc|μειόω}}
* Hungarian: {{t+|hu|csökkent}}, {{t+|hu|kisebbít}}
* Hungarian: {{t+|hu|csökkent}}, {{t+|hu|kisebbít}}
* Ido: {{t+|io|diminutar}}
* Ido: {{t+|io|diminutar}}
* Irish: {{t|ga|beagaigh}}
* Irish: {{t|ga|beagaigh}}, {{t|ga|laghdaigh}}
{{trans-mid}}
* Latin: {{t+|la|minuō}}, {{t|la|diminuō}}
* Latin: {{t+|la|minuō}}, {{t|la|diminuō}}
* Maori: {{t|mi|whakaharahara}}, {{t|mi|māwhe}}, {{t|mi|whakamimiti}}, {{t|mi|whakaiti}}, {{t|mi|māhaki}}
* Maori: {{t|mi|whakaharahara}}, {{t|mi|māwhe}}, {{t|mi|whakamimiti}}, {{t|mi|whakaiti}}, {{t|mi|māhaki}}
* Portuguese: {{t+|pt|diminuir}}, {{t+|pt|reduzir}}
* Norwegian: {{t|no|formilde}}
* Portuguese: {{t+|pt|atenuar}}, {{t+|pt|diminuir}}, {{t+|pt|reduzir}}
* Quechua: {{t|qu|hiwiy}}
* Quechua: {{t|qu|hiwiy}}
* Russian: {{t+|ru|уменьша́ть|impf}}, {{t+|ru|уме́ньшить|pf}}
* Russian: {{t+|ru|смягча́ть|n}}, {{t+|ru|уменьша́ть|impf}}, {{t+|ru|уме́ньшить|pf}}, {{t+|ru|умеря́ть|impf}}, {{t+|ru|уме́рить|pf}}
* Spanish: {{t+|es|menoscabar}}, {{t+|es|disminuir}}, {{t+|es|reducir}}, {{t+|es|aminorar}}, {{t+|es|menguar}}, {{t|es|minuir}}, {{t+|es|mermar}}
* Spanish: {{t+|es|menoscabar}}, {{t+|es|disminuir}}, {{t+|es|reducir}}, {{t+|es|aminorar}}, {{t+|es|menguar}}, {{t+|es|mermar}}
* Swedish: {{t+|sv|minska}}
* Swedish: {{t+|sv|minska}}
* Ukrainian: {{t|uk|зменшити}}
* Ukrainian: {{t|uk|зме́ншувати|impf}}, {{t|uk|зме́ншити|pf}}
* Welsh: {{t+|cy|lleihau}}
* Welsh: {{t+|cy|lleihau}}
{{trans-bottom}}
{{trans-bottom}}
Line 57: Line 52:
* Bulgarian: {{t+|bg|намалявам}}, {{t|bg|смалявам се}}
* Bulgarian: {{t+|bg|намалявам}}, {{t|bg|смалявам се}}
* Czech: {{t|cs|zmenšit se}}
* Czech: {{t|cs|zmenšit se}}
* Dutch: {{t+|nl|slinken}}, {{t+|nl|afnemen}}, {{t+|nl|verminderen}}
* Hungarian: {{t+|hu|csökken}}, {{t+|hu|kisebbedik}}
* Hungarian: {{t+|hu|csökken}}, {{t+|hu|kisebbedik}}
* Ido: {{t+|io|diminutar}}
* Ido: {{t+|io|diminutar}}
* Irish: {{t|ga|laghdaigh}}
{{trans-mid}}
* Portuguese: {{t+|pt|diminuir}}, {{t|pt|reduzir|alt=reduzir-se}}
* Portuguese: {{t+|pt|diminuir}}, {{t+|pt|reduzir|alt=reduzir-se}}
* Russian: {{t+|ru|уменьша́ться|impf}}, {{t+|ru|уме́ньшиться|pf}}
* Russian: {{t+|ru|уменьша́ться|impf}}, {{t+|ru|уме́ньшиться|pf}}
* Spanish: {{t+|es|aminorar}}, {{t+|es|disminuir}}, {{t+|es|menguar}}, {{t|es|minuir}}, {{t+|es|mermar}}
* Spanish: {{t+|es|aminorar}}, {{t+|es|disminuir}}, {{t+|es|menguar}}, {{t+|es|mermar}}
* Swedish: {{t+|sv|minska}}
* Swedish: {{t+|sv|minska}}
* Ukrainian: {{t|uk|зме́ншуватися|impf}}, {{t|uk|зме́ншитися|pf}}
{{trans-bottom}}
{{trans-bottom}}

===Conjunction===
{{head|en|conjunction}}

# {{lb|en|nonstandard|dialect}} [[unless]].
#* {{quote-book|en|year=1895| title=Book-keeper (Detroit, Mich. : 1888). - Volume 8, Issue 6 |author=| page=10| passage=Ober closed his encomium with the serious statement that “'''Lessen''' he could marry Miss Jennie he would be a bachelor the balance of his life," to which the drayman replied that " If Oi were Miss Janie Oi'd black yer oi the minute ye thought of such a thing. The oidee."}}
#* {{quote-book|en|year=2011| title=Lamb in His Bosom |author=Caroline Miller | page=107| passage=She was fine-looking; he couldn't find a fault with her ''''lessen''' he made it up. }}
#* {{quote-book|en|year=2011| title=Family|author=J. California Cooper | page=| passage=No more work outta them '''lessen''' they paid now.}}
#* {{quote-book|en|year=2013| title=Honey Bea's Everlasting Gift |author=Lornabelle Gethers | page=88| passage=That usually all they need fuh go that straight and narrow path, '''lessen''' they got that real badness or foolishness in them.}}


===Anagrams===
===Anagrams===
* {{anagrams|en|a=eelnss|Elsens|elsens|lenses|sensel}}
* {{anagrams|en|a=eelnss|Elsens|elsens|lenses|sensel}}


[[Category:English ergative verbs]]
{{cln|en|ergative verbs}}

----


==Dutch==
==Dutch==
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===Pronunciation===
===Pronunciation===
* {{IPA|nl|/ˈlɛsə(n)/}}
* {{IPA|nl|/ˈlɛsə(n)/}}
* {{audio|nl|Nl-lessen.ogg|Audio}}
* {{audio|nl|Nl-lessen.ogg}}
* {{rhymes|nl|ɛsən}}
* {{rhymes|nl|ɛsən|s=2}}


===Etymology 1===
===Etymology 1===
From {{inh|nl|dum|lesschen}}, from a merger of two {{inh|nl|odt}} verbs:
From {{inh|nl|dum|lesschen}}, from a merger of two {{inh|nl|odt}} verbs:
* {{m|odt|*leskan}}, from {{inh|nl|gem-pro|*leskaną}}; class 5 strong, intransitive.
* {{m|odt|*leskan}}, from {{inh|nl|gmw-pro|*leskan}}, from {{inh|nl|gem-pro|*leskaną}}; class 5 strong, intransitive.
* {{m|odt|lesken}}, from {{inh|nl|gem-pro|*laskijaną}}; class 1 weak, causative of the first verb.
* {{m|odt|lesken}}, from {{inh|nl|gmw-pro|*laskijan}}, from {{inh|nl|gem-pro|*laskijaną}}; class 1 weak, causative of the first verb.


====Verb====
====Verb====
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# {{lb|nl|transitive}} to [[quench]] (thirst)
# {{lb|nl|transitive}} to [[quench]] (thirst)


=====Inflection=====
=====Conjugation=====
{{nl-conj-wk|les|lesse}}
{{nl-conj-wk|les|lesse}}


=====Derived terms=====
=====Derived terms=====
* {{l|nl|blussen}}
{{col|nl
|blussen
|dorstlessend
|dorstlesser
}}


===Etymology 2===
===Etymology 2===
Line 104: Line 112:
# {{lb|nl|intransitive}} to take a [[lesson]] (usually a [[driving]] lesson)
# {{lb|nl|intransitive}} to take a [[lesson]] (usually a [[driving]] lesson)


=====Inflection=====
=====Conjugation=====
{{nl-conj-wk|les|lesse}}
{{nl-conj-wk|les|lesse}}


Line 111: Line 119:


====Noun====
====Noun====
{{head|nl|noun plural form}}
{{head|nl|noun form}}


# {{nl-noun form of|pl|les}}
# {{plural of|nl|les}}


[[Category:nl:Education]]
{{C|nl|Education}}

----


==Hungarian==
==Hungarian==
Line 132: Line 138:


# {{inflection of|hu|les||3|s|subj|pres|indef}}
# {{inflection of|hu|les||3|s|subj|pres|indef}}

----


==Swedish==
==Swedish==
Line 141: Line 145:


# {{alternative spelling of|sv|ledsen}}
# {{alternative spelling of|sv|ledsen}}

===Further reading===
* {{R:SO}}


===Anagrams===
===Anagrams===

Latest revision as of 23:56, 1 January 2025

English

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

From Middle English lessenen, lasnen, equivalent to less +‎ -en (verbal suffix).

Pronunciation

[edit]

Verb

[edit]

lessen (third-person singular simple present lessens, present participle lessening, simple past and past participle lessened)

  1. (transitive) To make less; to diminish; to reduce.
    • a. 1686, Benjamin Calamy, a sermon
      Charity […] shall lessen his punishment.
    • December 6, 1709, Francis Atterbury, a sermon preach'd before the sons of the clergy at their anniversary-meeting in the Church of St. Paul
      St. Paul chose to magnify his office when ill men conspired to lessen it.
    • 1980, Robert M. Jones, editor, Walls and Ceilings, Time-Life Books, →ISBN, page 44:
      The thin glass that makes mirror tiles light in weight also tends to lessen their reflective quality.
    • 2011 December 16, Denis Campbell, “Hospital staff 'lack skills to cope with dementia patients'”, in Guardian‎[1]:
      Many hospitals have not taken simple steps to lessen the distress and confusion which dementia sufferers' often feel on being somewhere so unfamiliar – such as making signs large and easy to read, using colour schemes to help patients find their way around unfamiliar wards and not putting family mementoes such as photographs nearby.
  2. (intransitive) To become less.

Translations

[edit]

Conjunction

[edit]

lessen

  1. (nonstandard, dialect) unless.
    • 1895, Book-keeper (Detroit, Mich. : 1888). - Volume 8, Issue 6, page 10:
      Ober closed his encomium with the serious statement that “Lessen he could marry Miss Jennie he would be a bachelor the balance of his life," to which the drayman replied that " If Oi were Miss Janie Oi'd black yer oi the minute ye thought of such a thing. The oidee."
    • 2011, Caroline Miller, Lamb in His Bosom, page 107:
      She was fine-looking; he couldn't find a fault with her 'lessen he made it up.
    • 2011, J. California Cooper, Family:
      No more work outta them lessen they paid now.
    • 2013, Lornabelle Gethers, Honey Bea's Everlasting Gift, page 88:
      That usually all they need fuh go that straight and narrow path, lessen they got that real badness or foolishness in them.

Anagrams

[edit]

Dutch

[edit]

Pronunciation

[edit]

Etymology 1

[edit]

From Middle Dutch lesschen, from a merger of two Old Dutch [Term?] verbs:

Verb

[edit]

lessen

  1. (transitive) to quench (thirst)
Conjugation
[edit]
Conjugation of lessen (weak)
infinitive lessen
past singular leste
past participle gelest
infinitive lessen
gerund lessen n
present tense past tense
1st person singular les leste
2nd person sing. (jij) lest, les2 leste
2nd person sing. (u) lest leste
2nd person sing. (gij) lest leste
3rd person singular lest leste
plural lessen lesten
subjunctive sing.1 lesse leste
subjunctive plur.1 lessen lesten
imperative sing. les
imperative plur.1 lest
participles lessend gelest
1) Archaic. 2) In case of inversion.
Derived terms
[edit]

Etymology 2

[edit]

From les +‎ -en.

Verb

[edit]

lessen

  1. (intransitive) to take a lesson (usually a driving lesson)
Conjugation
[edit]
Conjugation of lessen (weak)
infinitive lessen
past singular leste
past participle gelest
infinitive lessen
gerund lessen n
present tense past tense
1st person singular les leste
2nd person sing. (jij) lest, les2 leste
2nd person sing. (u) lest leste
2nd person sing. (gij) lest leste
3rd person singular lest leste
plural lessen lesten
subjunctive sing.1 lesse leste
subjunctive plur.1 lessen lesten
imperative sing. les
imperative plur.1 lest
participles lessend gelest
1) Archaic. 2) In case of inversion.

Etymology 3

[edit]

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

[edit]

lessen

  1. plural of les

Hungarian

[edit]

Etymology

[edit]

les +‎ -jen

Pronunciation

[edit]
  • IPA(key): [ˈlɛʃːɛn]
  • Hyphenation: les‧sen

Verb

[edit]

lessen

  1. third-person singular subjunctive present indefinite of les

Swedish

[edit]

Adjective

[edit]

lessen

  1. Alternative spelling of ledsen

Further reading

[edit]

Anagrams

[edit]
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