Crossword clues for declined
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Decline \De*cline"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Declined; p. pr. & vb. n. Declining.] [OE. declinen to bend down, lower, sink, decline (a noun), F. d['e]cliner to decline, refuse, fr. L. declinare to turn aside, inflect (a part of speech), avoid; de- + clinare to incline; akin to E. lean. See Lean, v. i.]
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To bend, or lean downward; to take a downward direction; to bend over or hang down, as from weakness, weariness, despondency, etc.; to condescend. ``With declining head.''
--Shak.He . . . would decline even to the lowest of his family.
--Lady Hutchinson.Disdaining to decline, Slowly he falls, amidst triumphant cries.
--Byron.The ground at length became broken and declined rapidly.
--Sir W. Scott. -
To tend or draw towards a close, decay, or extinction; to tend to a less perfect state; to become diminished or impaired; to fail; to sink; to diminish; to lessen; as, the day declines; virtue declines; religion declines; business declines.
That empire must decline Whose chief support and sinews are of coin.
--Waller.And presume to know . . . Who thrives, and who declines.
--Shak. -
To turn or bend aside; to deviate; to stray; to withdraw; as, a line that declines from straightness; conduct that declines from sound morals.
Yet do I not decline from thy testimonies.
--Ps. cxix. 157. To turn away; to shun; to refuse; -- the opposite of accept or consent; as, he declined, upon principle.
Declined \De*clined"\, a. Declinate.
Wiktionary
vb. (en-past of: decline)
Usage examples of "declined".
The few who have pursued this inquiry with more candor and impartiality, are of opinion, ^105 that the apostles declined the office of legislation, and rather chose to endure some partial scandals and divisions, than to exclude the Christians of a future age from the liberty of varying their forms of ecclesiastical government according to the changes of times and circumstances.
He first marched against Niger, whose reputation and power he the most dreaded: but he declined any hostile declarations, suppressed the name of his antagonist, and only signified to the senate and people his intention of regulating the eastern provinces.
If I have renounced this idea, if I have declined an undertaking which had obtained the approbation of a master-artist, ^* my excuse may be found in the extreme difficulty of assigning a proper measure to such a catalogue.
We may observe, that the use of them in the field gradually became more prevalent, in proportion as personal valor and military skill declined with the Roman empire.
With regard to Spain, that country flourished as a province, and has declined as a kingdom.
The milder temper of his successor declined so dangerous an ambition, which was never afterwards revived, except by the madness of Caligula and Domitian.
From some remains of modesty, Cleander declined the title, whilst he assumed the powers, of Praetorian praefect.
The camp was without a leader, for even the praefect Laetus, who had excited the tempest, prudently declined the public indignation.
Her more prudent sister, Mamaea, declined the useless and odious prerogative, and a solemn law was enacted, excluding women forever from the senate, and devoting to the infernal gods the head of the wretch by whom this sanction should be violated.
Yet, notwithstanding this flattering appeal, the most prudent of the assembly declined exposing their safety and dignity to the caprice of an armed multitude.
During the whole march, Maxentius hung on their rear, but he very prudently declined a general engagement with those brave and desperate veterans.
But when Justin was pressed to declare the sentiment of the church, he confessed that there were very many among the orthodox Christians, who not only excluded their Judaizing brethren from the hope of salvation, but who declined any intercourse with them in the common offices of friendship, hospitality, and social life.
It should seem that some of the Gnostics (the Basilidians) declined, and even refused the honor of Martyrdom.
They frequently declined the odious task of persecution, dismissed the charge with contempt, or suggested to the accused Christian some legal evasion, by which he might elude the severity of the laws.
As he gradually advanced in the knowledge of truth, he proportionally declined in the practice of virtue.