lessen
UK /ˈlɛsən/ US /ˈlɛsən/
verb 2conj 1
Definitions
verb
1
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
To become less.
conj
1
unless.
Ober closed his encomium with the serious statement that “Lessen he could marry Miss Jennie he would be a bachelor the balance of his life," to which the drayman replied that " If Oi were Miss Janie Oi'd black yer oi the minute ye thought of such a thing. The oidee."
She was fine-looking; he couldn't find a fault with her 'lessen he made it up.
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