decline
noun
verb
dɪˈklaɪn
noun
1
a
decrease
in
the
quality,
quantity,
or
importance
of
something
衰落，没落; 减少，削减
[+
in
]
There
has
been
a
decline
in
the
size
of
families.
家庭的规模已有缩小。
[+
of
]
the
decline
of
manufacturing
制造业的衰落
rapid/sharp/steep/dramatic
decline
a
rapid
decline
in
unemployment
失业的迅速减少
steady/gradual/long-term
decline
The
island’s
population
initially
numbered
180,
but
there
was
a
gradual
decline
until
only
40
people
were
left.
该岛上的人口原来有 180 人，后来逐渐减少到只剩下 40 人。
the
economic
decline
faced
by
many
cities
许多城市面临的经济衰退
in
decline
There’s
a
widely
held
belief
that
educational
standards
are
in
decline
(=falling)
.
许多人认为教育水准在下降。
fall/go
etc
into
decline
The
port
fell
into
decline
(=became
less
important
and
less
busy)
in
the
1950s.
20 世纪 50 年代时这个港市开始衰落了。
verb
2
DECREASE
减少
to
decrease
in
quantity
or
importance
减少，降低
I
Spending
on
information
technology
has
declined.
用于信息技术的支出减少了。
Car
sales
have
declined
by
a
quarter.
汽车销量下滑了四分之一。
After
the
war,
the
city
declined
in
importance.
战后这座城市的重要性下降了。
3
SAY NO
拒绝
to
say
no
politely
when
someone
invites
you
somewhere,
offers
you
something,
or
wants
you
to
do
something
[正式] 拒绝，谢绝
I,T | formal
Offered
the
position
of
chairman,
Smith
declined,
preferring
to
keep
his
current
job.
当向史密斯提供主席的职位时，史密斯拒绝了，他宁愿留在现在的职位上。
Mary
declined
a
hot
drink
and
went
to
her
room.
玛丽谢绝了热饮料，到自己的房间去了。
decline
an
offer/invitation
etc
Mary
declined
Jay’s
invitation
to
dinner.
玛丽谢绝了杰伊请吃晚饭的邀请。
decline
to
do
sth
The
court
declined
to
review
her
case.
法院拒绝复查她的案子。
The
minister
declined
to
comment
(=refused
to
speak
to
people
who
report
the
news)
about
the
progress
of
the
peace
talks.
那位部长拒绝就和谈进程发表评论。
4
BECOME WORSE
变糟
to
become
gradually
worse
in
quality
〔质量〕逐渐变差;
I
Her
health
has
been
declining
progressively
for
several
months.
几个月来她的健康状况不断恶化。
Qualified
staff
are
leaving
and
standards
are
declining.
称职的员工不断离去，质量标准持续下降。
5
sb’s declining years
the
last
years
of
someone’s
life
[正式] 某人的晚年，暮年
formal
6
GRAMMAR
语法
a.
if
a
noun,
PRONOUN
,
or
adjective
declines,
its
form
changes
according
to
whether
it
is
the
SUBJECT
,
OBJECT
etc
of
a
sentence
b.
if
you
decline
a
noun,
PRONOUN
,
or
adjective,
you
show
the
various
forms
that
it
can
take
使〔名词等〕词形变化，使变格
I T
declining
attendance
at
baseball
games
棒球赛观众人数的减少