v. t.
Charity . . . shall lessen his punishment. Calamy. [ 1913 Webster ]
St. Paul chose to magnify his office when ill men conspired to lessen it. Atterbury.
v. i. To become less; to shrink; to contract; to decrease; to be diminished;
The objection lessens much, and comes to no more than this: there was one witness of no good reputation. Atterbury. [ 1913 Webster ]
n. One who, or that which, lessens. [ 1913 Webster ]
His wife . . . is the lessener of his pain, and the augmenter of his pleasure. J. Rogers (1839). [ 1913 Webster ]
adj. becoming less in dimension or degree;
n. a change downward; a decrease; a reduction.