ecline
v
1 [I, Tn, Tt]
say `no' to (sth); refuse (sth offered), usu politely 拒絕（接受某物）; （通常指）謝絕
I invited her to join us, but she declined. 我邀請她和我們在一起, 可是她婉言謝絕了.
decline an invitation to dinner 謝絕宴請
He declined to discuss his plans. 他拒絕討論他的計劃.
2 [I] become smaller, weaker, fewer, etc; diminish 變小; 變弱; 變少
Her influence declined after she lost the election. 她落選後其影響力大為降低.
a declining birth-rate 逐漸下降的出生率
declining sales 銷售量下降
He spent his declining years (ie those at the end of his life) in the country. 他在鄉村度過晚年.
3 (grammar)
(a) [Tn] vary the endings of (nouns and pronouns) according to their function in a sentence 改變（名詞和代詞）的詞尾（根據其在句中的作用）.
(b) [I] (of nouns and pronouns) vary in this way （指名詞和代詞）按此方式變化.
decline n
1 ~ (in sth) gradual and continuous loss of strength, power, numbers, etc; declining （力量、 權力、 數量等的）消減
the decline of the Roman Empire 羅馬帝國的衰亡
a decline in population, prices, popularity 人口、 價格、 聲望的降低.
2 (idm 習語) fall/go into a de`cline lose strength, influence, etc 失去力量、 影響等
After his wife's death, he fell into a decline. 他在妻子死後一蹶不振.
The company has gone into a decline because of falling demand. 由於市場需求下降, 這家公司的生意每況愈下. on the de`cline becoming weaker, fewer, etc 在消減; 在衰退
She is on the decline, and may die soon. 她身體越來越弱, 恐不久於人世.
The number of robberies in the area is on the decline. 這地區的劫案在減少.