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lessen

American  
[les-uhn] / ˈlɛs ən /

verb (used without object)

  1. to become less.

verb (used with object)

  1. to make less; reduce.

  2. Archaic. to represent as less; depreciate; disparage.

lessen British  
/ ˈlɛsən /

verb

  1. to make or become less

  2. (tr) to make little of

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • unlessened adjective

Etymology

Origin of lessen

First recorded in 1300–50; late Middle English lessenen, lasnen; equivalent to less + -en 1

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.