Bible Dictionary: Lessen

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

1. (v.) To make less; to reduce; to make smaller, or fewer; to diminish; to lower; to degrade; as, to lessen a kingdom, or a population; to lessen speed, rank, fortune.

2. (v. i.) To become less; to shrink; to contract; to decrease; to be diminished; as, the apparent magnitude of objects lessens as we recede from them; his care, or his wealth, lessened.

Greek

1642. elattoo -- to make less (in rank or influence)
... decrease, make lower. From elasson; to lessen (in rank or influence) -- decrease,
make lower. see GREEK elasson. (elattousthai) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1642.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

4591. maat -- to be or become small, diminished, or few
... A primitive root; properly, to pare off, ie Lessen; intransitively, to be (or
causatively, to make) small or few (or figuratively, ineffective) -- suffer to ...
/hebrew/4591.htm - 6k

2637. chaser -- to lack, need, be lacking, decrease
... A primitive root; to lack; by implication, to fail, want, lessen -- be abated, bereave,
decrease, (cause to) fail, (have) lack, make lower, want. 2636, 2637. ...
/hebrew/2637.htm - 6k

7918. shakak -- to decrease, abate
... subsided. Word Origin a prim. root Definition to decrease, abate NASB Word
Usage lessen (1), lying in wait (1), subsided (3). appease ...
/hebrew/7918.htm - 6k

1639. gara -- to diminish, restrain, withdraw
... A primitive root; to scrape off; by implication, to shave, remove, lessen, withhold --
abate, clip, (di-)minish, do (take) away, keep back, restrain, make small ...
/hebrew/1639.htm - 6k

2820. chasak -- to withhold, refrain
... NASB Word Usage hold them back (1), hold back (2), keep back (1), keeps back (1),
kept (1), kept their in check (1), kept back (1), lessen (1), lessened (1 ...
/hebrew/2820.htm - 6k

Library

Whether Reasons in Support of what we Believe Lessen the Merit of ...
... OF THE ACT OF FAITH (TEN ARTICLES) Whether reasons in support of what we
believe lessen the merit of faith? Objection 1: It would ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether reasons in support of.htm

Whether Pain or Sorrow is Assuaged by Tears?
... laughter is an effect of joy. But laughter does not lessen joy. Therefore
tears do not lessen sorrow. Objection 3: Further, when we ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether pain or sorrow is 2.htm

Upon Compassion. Preached the First Sunday in Lent.
... And it is, in numberless cases, much more in our power to lessen the miseries of
others than to promote their positive happiness, any otherwise than as the ...
/.../butler/human nature/sermon vi upon compassion preached.htm

Bishop Hosius Said: this Also we Ought to Decree...
... in teaching, let him [the visiting bishop] not do despite to the bishop of the place
and attempt by frequent discourses to disparage him and lessen his repute ...
/.../schaff/the seven ecumenical councils/canon xi bishop hosius said .htm

The Third Epistle of the Same to the Same.
... due to her. Canon LIV. That it is in the bishop's power to increase or
lessen penance for involuntary murder. Canon LV. They that ...
/.../schaff/the seven ecumenical councils/the third epistle of the.htm

Whether Man is Preserved by this Sacrament from Future Sins?
... Reply to Objection 3: Although this sacrament is not ordained directly to lessen
the fomes, yet it does lessen it as a consequence, inasmuch as it increases ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether man is preserved by.htm

Whether Christ Should have Worked Miracles?
... Christ came that He might save men by faith; according to Heb.12:2: "Looking on
Jesus, the author and finisher of faith." But miracles lessen the merit of faith ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether christ should have worked.htm

Building for Community Service
... It is thought that the light-heartedness of play time tends to lessen the sacredness
of the house of worship and to lessen respect for religious service. ...
/.../vogt/church cooperation in community life/chapter v building for community.htm

The Use of Money
... and the body than raiment." And if we are already engaged in such an employ, we
should exchange it as soon as possible for some which, if it lessen our gain ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 50 the use of.htm

Whether it was Necessary for the Restoration of the Human Race ...
... Reply to Objection 3: By taking flesh, God did not lessen His majesty; and in
consequence did not lessen the reason for reverencing Him, which is increased by ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether it was necessary for.htm

Thesaurus

Lessen (4 Occurrences)
... 1. (v.) To make less; to reduce; to make smaller, or fewer; to diminish; to lower;
to degrade; as, to lessen a kingdom, or a population; to lessen speed, rank ...
/l/lessen.htm - 7k

Diminish (22 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To make smaller in any manner; to reduce in
bulk or amount; to lessen; -- opposed to augment or increase. ...
/d/diminish.htm - 14k

Degrade (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (vt) To lessen in value or quality; to strip of honors; as, to degrade a nobleman,
or a general officer; to reduce from a higher to a lower rank or degree ...
/d/degrade.htm - 7k

Naaman (19 Occurrences)
... His impulsive patriotic preference for the streams of his own land does not lessen
the reader's esteem for him, and the favorable impression is deepened by his ...
/n/naaman.htm - 15k

Narrow (21 Occurrences)
... harbor. 10. (vt) To lessen the breadth of; to contract; to draw into a
smaller compass; to reduce the width or extent of. 11. (vt ...
/n/narrow.htm - 14k

Less (93 Occurrences)
... beautiful. 4. (n.) A smaller portion or quantity. 5. (n.) The inferior,
younger, or smaller. 6. (vt) To make less; to lessen. 7. (n ...
/l/less.htm - 35k

Lessened (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Lessen. Multi-Version Concordance
Lessened (2 Occurrences). Exodus 5:11 Go yourselves and ...
/l/lessened.htm - 7k

Lessau

/l/lessau.htm - 6k

Weaken (5 Occurrences)
... 1. (vt) To make weak; to lessen the strength of; to deprive of strength; to debilitate;
to enfeeble; to enervate; as, to weaken the body or the mind; to weaken ...
/w/weaken.htm - 8k

Injure (16 Occurrences)
... health. (b) To damage or lessen the value of, as goods or estate. (c) To
slander, tarnish, or impair, as reputation or character. ...
/i/injure.htm - 11k

Bible Concordance

Lessen (4 Occurrences)

Exodus 5:8 But see that they make the same number of bricks as before, and no less: for they have no love for work; and so they are crying out and saying, Let us go and make an offering to our God.
(See RSV)

Exodus 5:19 Then the responsible men of the children of Israel saw that they were purposing evil when they said, The number of bricks which you have to make every day will be no less than before.
(See RSV)

Numbers 17:5 It shall happen, that the rod of the man whom I shall choose shall bud: and I will make to cease from me the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against you."
(See NAS)

Job 16:5 but I would strengthen you with my mouth. The solace of my lips would relieve you.
(See NAS)

Subtopics

Lessen

Related Terms

Diminish (22 Occurrences)

Degrade (1 Occurrence)

Naaman (19 Occurrences)

Narrow (21 Occurrences)

Less (93 Occurrences)

Lessened (2 Occurrences)

Lessau

Weaken (5 Occurrences)