different between moderate vs lessen

English

Etymology

From Middle English moderat, from Latin moder?tus, perfect active participle of moderor (“regulate, restrain, moderate”), from moder-, modes-, a stem appearing also in modestus (“moderate, discreet, modest”), from modus (“measure”); see mode and modest.

Pronunciation

• Adjective, noun:
  • (UK): IPA^(key): /?m?d???t/
  • (US): enPR: mäd'?r-?t, IPA^(key): /?m?d???t/
• Verb:
  • (UK): IPA^(key): /?m?d??e?t/
  • (US): enPR: mäd'?-r?t, IPA^(key): /?m?d??e?t/

Adjective

moderate (comparative more moderate, superlative most moderate)

1. Not excessive; acting in moderation

   moderate language

   a moderate Calvinist

   travelling at a moderate speed

   • 1731, Jonathan Swift, The Presbyterians Plea of Merit

     A number of moderate members managed […] to obtain a majority in a thin house.

2. Mediocre
3. Average priced; standard-deal
4. Not violent or rigorous; temperate; mild; gentle.

   a moderate winter

   • 1859, Arthur Hugh Clough, Life of Sertorius

     These are called the Islands of the Blest; rains fall there seldom, and in moderate showers, but for the most part they have gentle breezes, bringing along with them soft dews

5. (US, politics) Having an intermediate position between liberal and conservative.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:moderate
• See also Thesaurus:intermediate

Derived terms

• moderately
• moderateness

Translations

Noun

moderate (plural moderates)

1. One who holds an intermediate position between extremes, as in politics.

   While the moderates usually propose political compromise, it's often only achieved when the extremists allow them so

   The moderates are the natural advocates of ecumenism against the fanatics of their churches.

2. (Christianity, historical) One of a party in Scottish Church history dominant in the 18th century, lax in doctrine and discipline, but intolerant of evangelicalism and popular rights. It caused the secessions of 1733 and 1761, and its final resultant was the Disruption of 1843.

Translations

Verb

moderate (third-person singular simple present moderates, present participle moderating, simple past and past participle moderated)

1. (transitive) To reduce the excessiveness of (something)

   to moderate rage, action, desires, etc.

   • 1730, John Arbuthnot, An Essay Concerning the Nature of Aliments

     By its astringent Quality, it moderates the relaxing quality of warm Water.

   • 2000, Paul G. Coleman, Positron Beams and Their Applications (page 309)

     This leaves two strategies to increase the current in a positron beam. First is to provide a stronger positron source and second is to develop a more efficient method to moderate the source positrons into a monoenergetic beam.

     To moderate stiff minds disposed to strive.

2. (intransitive) To become less excessive
3. (transitive) To preside over (something) as a moderator

   to moderate a synod

4. (intransitive) To act as a moderator; to assist in bringing to compromise
5. (transitive, physics) To supply with a moderator (substance that decreases the speed of neutrons in a nuclear reactor and hence increases likelihood of fission).

   a graphite-moderated reactor

Synonyms

• (reduce excesses): temperate
• (preside): arbitrate, chair

Derived terms

• moderation
• moderating

Related terms

• modal
• modality
• mode
• model
• moderator
• module

Translations

References

• moderate in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• moderate in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

German

Pronunciation

Adjective

moderate

1. inflection of moderat:
   1. strong/mixed nominative/accusative feminine singular
   2. strong nominative/accusative plural
   3. weak nominative all-gender singular
   4. weak accusative feminine/neuter singular

Italian

Verb

moderate

1. inflection of moderare:
   1. second-person plural present indicative
   2. second-person plural imperative
2. feminine plural of moderato

Anagrams

• dateremo

Latin

Verb

moder?te

1. second-person plural present active imperative of moder?

References

• moderate in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• moderate in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers

Norwegian Bokmål

Adjective

moderate

1. definite singular of moderat
2. plural of moderat

Norwegian Nynorsk

Adjective

moderate

1. definite singular of moderat
2. plural of moderat

English

Etymology

From Middle English lessenen, lasnen, equivalent to less +? -en (verbal suffix).

Pronunciation

• enPR: l??s?n, IPA^(key): /?l?s?n/
• Rhymes: -?s?n
• Homophone: lesson

Verb

lessen (third-person singular simple present lessens, present participle lessening, simple past and past participle lessened)

1. (transitive) To make less; to diminish; to reduce.
   • a. 1686, Benjamin Calamy, a sermon

     Charity […] shall lessen his punishment.

   • December 6, 1709, Francis Atterbury, a sermon preach'd before the sons of the clergy at their anniversary-meeting in the Church of St. Paul

     St. Paul chose to magnify his office when ill men conspired to lessen it.
2. (intransitive) To become less.

Translations

Conjunction

lessen

1. (nonstandard, dialect) unless.

Anagrams

• Elsens, elsens, lenses, sensel

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?l?s?(n)/
• Rhymes: -?s?n

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch lesschen, from a merger of two Old Dutch [Term?] verbs:

• *leskan, from Proto-Germanic *leskan?; class 5 strong, intransitive.
• lesken, from Proto-Germanic *laskijan?; class 1 weak, causative of the first verb.

Verb

lessen

1. (transitive) to quench (thirst)

Inflection

Derived terms

• blussen

Etymology 2

From les +? -en.

Verb

lessen

1. (intransitive) to take a lesson (usually a driving lesson)

Inflection

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the main entry.

Noun

lessen

1. Plural form of les

Hungarian

Etymology

les +? -jen

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?l????n]
• Hyphenation: les?sen

Verb

lessen

1. third-person singular subjunctive present indefinite of les

Swedish

Adjective

lessen

1. Alternative spelling of ledsen

Anagrams

• selens