---
title: diminishing — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «diminishing» in the school dictionary: Diminishing means getting smaller, fewer or weaker over time. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# diminishing

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** water, diminishing light, night, supply, Rainforests, noise · **What happens:** diminish, mean, get, describe, become, tell · **To what, where:** something, supplies, us, world, pond · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«diminishing» in the school dictionary: its 2 meanings for a pupil and its 7 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [diminishing in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/diminishing.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Diminishing means getting smaller, fewer or weaker over time.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:diminishing:m1:1
# text = Diminishing means getting smaller, fewer or weaker over time.
1	Diminishing	diminish	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	nsubj	_	_
2	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	getting	get	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	ccomp	_	_
4	smaller	small	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	3	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	6	punct	_	_
6	fewer	few	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	3	parataxis	_	_
7	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	8	cc	_	_
8	weaker	weak	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	conj	_	_
9	over	over	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	time	time	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **diminish** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn caused\_calibratable\_cos-45.6.2-1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **mean** | present |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **get** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | small *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .note -->
Usage: adjective — kept apart, not parsed.

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Diminishing describes something that is becoming smaller or less: «diminishing supplies».

<!-- fold The tree, 11 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:diminishing:m2:1
# text = Diminishing describes something that is becoming smaller or less: «diminishing supplies».
1	Diminishing	diminish	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	2	nsubj	_	_
2	describes	describe	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	2	obj	_	_
4	that	that	PRON	WDT	PronType=Rel	6	nsubj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	becoming	become	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	acl:relcl	_	_
7	smaller	small	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	6	xcomp	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	less	less	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	7	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	12	punct	_	_
11	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
12	diminishing	diminish	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	2	advcl	_	_
13	supplies	supplies	NOUN	NNS	Number=Ptan	12	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
14	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	12	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **diminish** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn caused\_calibratable\_cos-45.6.2-1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **describe** | present |  | something |  |  |  |  | vn characterize-29.2-1-1 «NP V NP S\_ING»: agent=Agent something=Theme |
| 3 | **become** | present · progressive |  |  |  |  |  | small *property* | vn become-109.1-1-1 «NP V PP.attribute»: agent=Patient |
| 4 | **diminish** *in a quote* | gerund |  | supplies |  |  |  |  | vn caused\_calibratable\_cos-45.6.2-1 «NP V NP.patient»: agent=Causer supplies=Patient |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The water in the tank is diminishing day by day.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:diminishing:x1:1
# text = The water in the tank is diminishing day by day.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	water	water	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	in	in	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	tank	tank	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
7	diminishing	diminish	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
8	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obj	_	_
9	by	by	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	day	day	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **diminish** | present · progressive | the water in the tank |  |  |  | day |  | vn caused\_calibratable\_cos-45.6.2-1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The diminishing light told us night was coming.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:diminishing:x2:1
# text = The diminishing light told us night was coming.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	diminishing	diminishing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	light	light	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	told	tell	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	us	we	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	iobj	_	_
6	night	night	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
7	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	coming	come	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **tell** *speech: assert* | past | the diminishing light |  | us |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP S\_INF»: agent=Agent we=Recipient clause=Topic |
| 2 | **come** | past · progressive | night |  |  |  |  |  | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Their supply of food was diminishing fast.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:diminishing:x3:1
# text = Their supply of food was diminishing fast.
1	Their	their	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Plur|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	supply	supply	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	4	case	_	_
4	food	food	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
5	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	aux	_	_
6	diminishing	diminish	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
7	fast	fast	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **diminish** | past · progressive | Their supply of food |  |  |  |  | fast *property* | vn caused\_calibratable\_cos-45.6.2-1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Rainforests are diminishing around the world.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:diminishing:x4:1
# text = Rainforests are diminishing around the world.
1	Rainforests	rainforest	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	nsubj	_	_
2	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	_
3	diminishing	diminish	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
4	around	around	ADP	IN	_	6	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
6	world	world	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **diminish** | present · progressive | Rainforests |  |  | the world |  |  | vn caused\_calibratable\_cos-45.6.2-1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The noise of the plane was diminishing in the distance.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:diminishing:x5:1
# text = The noise of the plane was diminishing in the distance.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	noise	noise	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	nsubj	_	_
3	of	of	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	plane	plane	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nmod	_	_
6	was	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	7	aux	_	_
7	diminishing	diminish	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	0	root	_	_
8	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
9	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	distance	distance	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	7	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **diminish** | past · progressive | the noise of the plane |  |  |  |  | in the distance | vn caused\_calibratable\_cos-45.6.2-1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 2 | **noise** |  | the plane |  |  |  |  |  | nom noise «event intransitive»: of=agent |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A diminishing pattern: 64, 32, 16, 8 — what comes next?

<!-- fold The tree, 10 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:diminishing:x6:1
# text = A diminishing pattern: 64, 32, 16, 8 — what comes next?
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	diminishing	diminishing	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	pattern	pattern	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	5	punct	_	_
5	64	64	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	3	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	32	32	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
9	16	16	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	appos	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	11	punct	_	_
11	8	8	NUM	CD	NumForm=Digit|NumType=Card	5	conj	_	_
12	—	-	PUNCT	:	_	14	punct	_	_
13	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	14	nsubj	_	_
14	comes	come	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
15	next	next	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
16	?	?	PUNCT	.	_	14	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **come** | present | a diminishing pattern |  |  |  |  | next *property* | vn escape-51.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
But the sand hill only drove the pond a little farther away, and its waters seemed to increase instead of diminishing.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:diminishing:x7:1
# text = But the sand hill only drove the pond a little farther away, and its waters seemed to increase instead of diminishing.
1	But	but	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
2	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
3	sand	sand	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	compound	_	_
4	hill	hill	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
5	only	only	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	_
6	drove	drive	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	pond	pond	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	_
9	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	10	det	_	_
10	little	little	ADV	RB	Degree=Pos	11	advmod	_	_
11	farther	far	ADV	RBR	Degree=Cmp	12	advmod	_	_
12	away	away	ADV	RB	_	6	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	17	punct	_	_
14	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	17	cc	_	_
15	its	its	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	16	nmod:poss	_	_
16	waters	water	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	17	nsubj	_	_
17	seemed	seem	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	conj	_	_
18	to	to	PART	TO	_	19	mark	_	_
19	increase	increase	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	17	xcomp	_	_
20	instead	instead	ADV	RB	ExtPos=SCONJ	22	mark	_	_
21	of	of	ADP	IN	_	20	fixed	_	_
22	diminishing	diminish	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	19	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
23	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **drive** | past | the sand hill | the pond |  |  |  | away *property* | vn nonvehicle-51.4.2-1 «NP V PP»: agent=Theme pond=Trajectory |
| 2 | **seem** | past | hill's waters |  |  |  |  |  | vn seem-109-1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Theme clause=Attribute |
| 3 | **increase** | to-infinitive | hill's waters *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn caused\_calibratable\_cos-45.6.2-1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |
| 4 | **diminish** | gerund | hill's waters *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn caused\_calibratable\_cos-45.6.2-1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Patient |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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