decline

noun

1. （数量、价值、质量等的）减少，下降，衰落，衰退
   a continuous decrease in the number, value, quality, etc. of sth
   1. a rapid/sharp/gradual decline
      迅速 / 急剧 / 逐渐下降
   2. urban/economic decline
      城市衰落；经济衰退
   3. The company reported a small decline in its profits.
      公司报告其利润略有减少。
   4. An increase in cars has resulted in the decline of public transport.
      汽车的增加导致了公共交通的减少。
   5. The town fell into (a) decline (= started to be less busy, important, etc.) after the mine closed.
      这个镇在矿井关闭后开始衰落。
   6. Industry in Britain has been in decline since the 1970s.
      英国工业自20世纪70年代以来一直在走下坡路。

verb

1. 减少；下降；衰弱；衰退
   to become smaller, fewer, weaker, etc.
   1. Support for the party continues to decline.
      对该党的支持继续下降。
   2. The number of tourists to the resort declined by 10% last year.
      去年到这个胜地旅游的人数减少了10%。
   3. Her health was declining rapidly.
      她的健康状况迅速恶化。
2. 谢绝；婉言拒绝
   to refuse politely to accept or to do sth
   1. I offered to give them a lift but they declined.
      我主动邀请他们搭车，但他们婉言谢绝了。
   2. to decline an offer/invitation
      谢绝对方的主动帮助 / 邀请
   3. Their spokesman declined to comment on the allegations.
      他们的发言人拒绝对这些指控加以评论。
3. （根据名词、形容词或代词在句中的作用）变格，使发生词形变化
   if a noun, an adjective or a pronoun declines , it has different forms according to whether it is the subject or the object of a verb, whether it is in the singular or plural, etc. When you decline a noun, etc., you list these forms.

1. VERB 下降;减少;衰退;衰落
   If something declines, it becomes less in quantity, importance, or strength.
   1. The number of staff has declined from 217,000 to 114,000...
      员工人数从 21.7万减少到了11.4万。
   2. Hourly output by workers declined 1.3% in the first quarter...
      第一季度工人每小时的产量下降了 1.3%。
   3. Union membership and union power are declining fast.
      工会的人数和力量都在迅速萎缩。
   4. ...a declining birth rate.
      呈下降态势的人口出生率
2. VERB 婉拒;谢绝
   If you decline something or decline to do something, you politely refuse to accept it or do it.
   1. He declined their invitation...
      他谢绝了他们的邀请。
   2. The band declined to comment on the story...
      乐队拒绝对这一报道作任何评论。
   3. He offered the boys some coffee. They declined politely.
      他问那些小伙子要不要来点咖啡，他们婉辞了。
3. N-VAR 下降;减少;衰退;衰落
   If there is a decline in something, it becomes less in quantity, importance, or quality.
   1. There wasn't such a big decline in enrollments after all...
      注册人数终究还是没有出现如此大幅度的下降。
   2. ...Rome's decline in the fifth century...
      公元5世纪时罗马的衰落
   3. The first signs of economic decline became visible.
      经济衰退的最初迹象开始显现出来。
4. PHRASE 逐渐势微;正在衰退
   If something is in decline or on the decline, it is gradually decreasing in importance, quality, or power.
   1. Thankfully the smoking of cigarettes is on the decline...
      令人欣慰的是，吸烟量在逐渐下降。
   2. He is still one of the world's most popular golfers, but his game is in decline.
      他仍是世界上最受欢迎的高尔夫球选手之一，但他的球技日不如前。
5. PHRASE 走下坡路;开始衰退
   If something goes or falls into decline, it begins to gradually decrease in importance, quality, or power.
   1. Libraries are an investment for the future and they should not be allowed to fall into decline.
      图书馆是对未来的一项投资，不应任其日趋萎缩。

1. It's no accident that the boom in police series on TV coincided with the decline of the Western.
   警匪剧在电视上盛行之时恰好是西部片衰退之际，这并非偶然。
2. After years of neglect and decline the city was cleaning itself up
   多年的玩忽职守和经济萧条过后，这个城市在进行自我整顿。
3. He took her on tour of Europe, but the travel only hastened her consumptive decline and death.
   他带她周游欧洲，但这趟旅行只是使她的结核病恶化更快，加速了她的死亡。
4. To decline to vote is a cop-out
   拒绝投票就是一种逃避。
5. I think we can date the decline of Western Civilization quite precisely
   我认为我们可以相当准确地确定西方文明开始衰落的年代。
6. The number of staff has declined from 217,000 to 114,000
   员工人数从21.7万减少到了11.4万。
7. Hourly output by workers declined 1.3% in the first quarter
   第一季度工人每小时的产量下降了1.3%。
8. Union membership and union power are declining fast.
   工会的人数和力量都在迅速萎缩。
9. He declined their invitation
   他谢绝了他们的邀请。
10. The band declined to comment on the story
    乐队拒绝对这一报道作任何评论。
11. He offered the boys some coffee. They declined politely.
    他问那些小伙子要不要来点咖啡，他们婉辞了。
12. There wasn't such a big decline in enrollments after all
    注册人数终究还是没有出现如此大幅度的下降。
13. The first signs of economic decline became visible.
    经济衰退的最初迹象开始显现出来。
14. Thankfully the smoking of cigarettes is on the decline
    令人欣慰的是，吸烟量在逐渐下降。
15. He is still one of the world's most popular golfers, but his game is in decline.
    他仍是世界上最受欢迎的高尔夫球选手之一，但他的球技日不如前。
16. Libraries are an investment for the future and they should not be allowed to fall into decline.
    图书馆是对未来的一项投资，不应任其日趋萎缩。
17. The rise or decline of the United States is not a function of deterministic forces.
    美国的兴衰并非不可抗力作用的结果。
18. The new system may be more economic but will lead to a decline in programme quality.
    新系统可能更合算，但是会降低程序质量。
19. The economy continued to exhibit signs of decline in September.
    9月份，经济继续呈现出衰退的迹象。
20. The electoral fortunes of the Liberal Democratic party may decline
    自由民主党的选举运势可能会下降。
21. The figures represent a general decline in employment.
    这些数字显示就业人数总体在下降。
22. He criticised the government for failing to halt economic decline
    他批评政府未能遏止经济下滑。
23. Government penny-pinching is blamed for the decline in food standards.
    政府吝啬被指责是食品标准下降的原因。
24. Meryl's health started a precipitous decline.
    梅里尔的健康状况开始急剧下降。
25. Inflation is rampant and industry in decline.
    通胀势头严重，工业不断下滑。
26. Furniture and carpet retailers are among those reporting the sharpest annual decline in sales.
    据称年销售额下滑幅度最大的零售商中包括家具和地毯零售商。
27. The move stopped the pound's decline but failed to bring about a significant rally.
    这个行动制止了英镑的下跌，但是未能使比价有很大上升。
28. The customs figures show a steady decline in British trade.
    关税数字表明英国的贸易一直在走下坡路。
29. It would be disrespectful to decline.
    却之不恭。
30. You are just the person for the job. Don't decline out of modesty.
    你做这工作再合适不过，不要谦让了。

  deny decline rebuff refuse reject【导航词义：拒绝】

  deny v. 〈正式〉拒绝，不允许

〔辨析〕指不允许某人拥有某物或做某事。

  decline v. 〈正式〉拒绝

〔辨析〕指婉言谢绝他人的帮助、邀请等。

  rebuff v. 〈正式〉回绝，断然拒绝

〔辨析〕指很不友好地拒绝别人善意的建议或帮助。

  refuse v. 拒绝，回绝

〔辨析〕普通用词，指拒绝做某事或接受别人所给之物，作后者解时常可与turn down 换用。

  reject v. 拒绝

〔辨析〕指拒绝接受或考虑某事，或指由于不能让人满意而不接受、不录取等。

v.

sb's declining years

• 暮年；晚年
  the last years of sb's life