declines
declines — 動詞
- declinebase form
- declinesthird person singular present
- decliningpresent participle
- declinedpast tense / past participle
- declineses3rd person singular
- declinesing-ing form
- declinesedpast simple
1. to become smaller in amount, number, or quality over a period of time
下降；減少
數量或程度逐漸變小
to become smaller in amount, number, or quality over a period of time
Sales of electric cars declined sharply after the government changed the tax rules.
政府改變稅收規則後，電動汽車的銷量急遽下降。
decline + adverb (sharply)
The population of the village has declined by nearly thirty percent since 2010.
自2010年以來，這個村莊的人口減少了將近百分之三十。
decline + by + amount
Stefan noticed that his interest in online games declined as he started playing football.
Stefan 發現他對線上遊戲的興趣隨著開始踢足球而減少了。
As the flood waters finally declined, the rescue team reached the flooded houses.
當洪水終於消退時，救援隊伍得以抵達被淹的房屋。
Air quality in the city declined rapidly during the summer heat wave.
在夏季熱浪期間，該城市的空氣品質迅速惡化。
文法句型
decline + adverb (sharply/rapidly/steadily)
decline + by + amount
用法筆記
This sense is always intransitive. Subject is typically a measurable quantity (sales, population, quality, temperature, prices).
常見錯誤
2. to say politely that you will not accept an invitation, offer, or request
婉拒；謝絕
禮貌地拒絕邀請或提議
to say politely that you will not accept an invitation, offer, or request
Reema declined the invitation to the wedding because she had another event that day.
Reema 婉拒了婚禮邀請，因為那天她已經有別的活動了。
decline + noun phrase (an invitation)
The CEO declined to comment on the rumoured merger during the press conference.
執行長在記者會上婉拒對傳聞中的合併案發表評論。
decline + to-infinitive
When offered a second helping of dessert, Selim politely declined with a smile.
被問到要不要再來一份甜點時，Selim 微笑著禮貌地婉拒了。
The famous author declined several interview requests while finishing her new novel.
那位知名作家在撰寫新小說的期間，婉拒了多家媒體的採訪請求。
Liang declined the board's offer of a promotion, preferring to stay in his current job.
Liang 婉拒了董事會的升遷提議，寧願留在他目前的職位上。
文法句型
decline + noun phrase (an offer/an invitation)
decline + to-infinitive
decline (no object)
用法筆記
More formal than 'refuse' or 'say no'. Common in business and official contexts. When the object is a to-infinitive clause, the meaning is 'say you will not do something'.
常見錯誤
3. to show the full set of case endings that a language applies to nouns, pronouns,
詞形變化
依語法功能變化名詞、代名詞或形容詞的詞形
to show the full set of case endings that a language applies to nouns, pronouns, or adjectives depending on their function in a sentence
In Latin class, the students learned how to decline nouns of the first declension.
在拉丁語課堂上，學生們學習如何對第一變格法的名詞進行詞形變化。
decline + noun phrase (nouns)
Asher found it challenging to decline adjectives correctly in German because of the four cases.
Asher 發現要正確地對德語形容詞進行詞形變化很有挑戰性，因為有四種格。
The grammar textbook shows how to decline the definite article for each gender and case.
文法教科書展示了如何針對每個性別和格來變化定冠詞的詞形。
Learners of Russian must memorise how to decline pronouns for all six grammatical cases.
學習俄語的人必須記住如何針對六個語法格來變化代名詞的詞形。
文法句型
decline + noun phrase (a noun / a pronoun / an adjective)
用法筆記
This is a technical linguistic term. To decline a word means to list or apply its inflectional forms. Not all languages have declension systems — it mainly applies to languages like Latin, German, Russian, and Greek. The corresponding noun form is 'declension'.
常見錯誤
declines — 名詞
- declinesingular
- declinesplural
1. the situation in which the size, value, or power of something gradually becomes
衰退；減少
數量或程度逐漸變低的過程
the situation in which the size, value, or power of something gradually becomes less
The decline of the manufacturing sector led to widespread job losses across the region.
製造業的衰退導致該地區出現大規模失業。
decline + of + noun phrase
There has been a steady decline in young people reading printed newspapers.
閱讀紙本報紙的年輕人人數持續穩定減少。
a decline + in + noun phrase
The company's profits showed a sharp decline during the economic downturn last year.
該公司的利潤在去年的經濟低迷期間出現急遽衰退。
Doctors are worried about the decline in physical activity among primary school children.
醫生們對小學生的體能活動減少感到擔憂。
The decline in air quality forced the government to introduce new pollution limits.
空氣品質的惡化促使政府推出新的污染限制標準。
文法句型
a decline + in + noun phrase
a decline + of + amount
用法筆記
Usually used in the singular with 'a' or 'the'. Often followed by 'in' to specify what is decreasing.
常見錯誤
2. the state in which a person's body or mind gradually loses its normal strength,
衰弱；惡化
身體或心智功能逐漸變弱的過程
the state in which a person's body or mind gradually loses its normal strength, often due to illness or advanced age
After his wife passed away, James noticed a rapid decline in his grandfather's health.
妻子過世後，James 注意到祖父的健康狀況急遽惡化。
a decline in health
The patient's mental decline has been slow but noticeable over the past two years.
這位病患的心智衰退在過去兩年裡緩慢但明顯。
mental decline
Regular exercise can slow the physical decline that often comes with old age.
規律運動可以減緩隨著年邁而常出現的身體衰弱。
The doctor explained that some memory decline is a normal part of the aging process.
醫生解釋說，某種程度的記憶衰退是老化過程中的正常現象。
Tamar's family watched her mother's gentle decline and tried to keep her comfortable at home.
Tamar 的家人看著母親緩慢地衰弱，並努力讓她在家中感到舒適。
- deterioration
more formal; suggests a worsening condition
- weakening
less formal; focuses on loss of strength
- improvement
the process of becoming healthier or stronger
- recovery
a return to good health after illness
文法句型
decline + in + noun (health/memory/strength)
physical decline
mental decline
cognitive decline
用法筆記
Commonly paired with 'health', 'physical', 'mental', or 'cognitive' before 'decline'. Often describes a gradual process, but can also describe a rapid one when caused by illness.
3. a downward slope on a surface where the ground drops to a lower level
斜坡；下坡
地面向下傾斜的部分
a downward slope on a surface where the ground drops to a lower level
The hiking trail follows a gentle decline through the pine forest down to the lake.
這條健行步道沿著平緩的下坡穿過松林，直達湖邊。
a gentle decline
Ravindra stopped at the top of the steep decline and checked his bicycle brakes carefully.
Ravindra 在陡峭的下坡頂端停了下來，仔細檢查了腳踏車的煞車。
a steep decline
From the ridge, the land runs in a long decline toward the river valley below.
從山脊開始，地勢沿著一條長長的下坡延伸至下方的河谷。
The car rolled forward on the slight decline and bumped gently into the garden gate.
汽車在微微的下坡上向前滑行，輕輕撞上了花園大門。
文法句型
a decline + in + location
a gentle/steep decline
用法筆記
This literal, geographical sense is less common than the metaphorical senses. Use 'slope' or 'descent' for more everyday conversation about sloping ground.