| 1 |
[ noun ] a change downward
Examples "there was a decrease in his temperature as the fever subsided" "there was a sharp drop-off in sales" Used in print (E. Gellhorn, "Prolegomena to a theory of the emotions"...)On_the_other_hand , the temporary reduction in hypothalamic excitability through the injection of a barbiturate into the posterior hypothalamus causes a lessening in frequency and amplitude of cortical strychnine spikes until the hypothalamic excitability is restored . Moreover , the dominance in parasympathetic action ( with reciprocal inhibition of the sympathetic ) at the hypothalamic level induces , by its peripheral action , the autonomic symptoms of sleep and , by its action on the cortex , a lessening in the reactivity of the sensory and motor apparatus of the somatic nervous_system . |
| 2 |
[ adjective ] becoming less in dimension or degree
Examples "the lessening distance between us" Used in print (Bonnie Prudden, "The Dancer and the Gymnast"...)Improvement can be measured by the lessening distance between toes and head . Related terms |
| * |
|