wane

Word family

Related topics: Astronomy

wane1 /weɪn/ verb [intransitiveI]

1 LESSif something such as power, influence, or a feeling wanes, it becomes gradually less strong or less important 〔权力、影响或感觉等〕逐渐减弱[变小]

My enthusiasm for the project was waning.

我对这个项目的热情逐渐减退了。

The group’s influence had begun to wane by this time.

此时，这个团体的影响力已经开始减弱。

2. HAwhen the moon wanes, you gradually see less of it 〔月亮〕亏，缺 OPP wax

→ wax and wane at wax2(4)

Examples from the Corpus

wane• The smile was beginning to wane.• Some countries' taste for purely American pop culture has waned.• When girls hit adolescence, their self-confidence begins to wane.• His popularity in the state began to wane almost immediately after the election.• But with his popularity waning and the economy temporarily faltering, Park was in trouble even in his own entourage.• The volume of the presiding cleric's voice waxed and waned as though he were speaking through a faulty microphone.• My enthusiasm had waned by the time the tea arrived.• Enthusiasm for it tends to wane during economic recessions.• But in the waning hours Saturday night, Cox came up big.• In the waning light of the spring evening, play commences in the second-grade Fathers / Students League.• Even in the final years of the Soviet Union, the managers were stepping into the void created by waning party power.

wane2 noun

on the wane LESSbecoming smaller, weaker, or less important 正在减小[减弱]；日渐衰败

By the fifth century, the power of the Roman Empire was on the wane.

到5世纪时，罗马帝国的势力逐渐衰落。

Examples from the Corpus

on the wane• In the weeks beforehand, Mr Murdoch's use of e-mail had been on the wane.• The influence of government agents and chief headmen, on the wane since 1920, declined still further.• The vocational profession of Alpine shepherd is on the wane, an arduous life with unreliable income.• But I could see that the moon above my head was really on the wane.• But the conservatives' influence has lately seemed on the wane.• Ten years earlier, that might have been a good move, but now Chess was on the wane.• Gonzales' power was on the wane.• The event coincided with New Zealand on the wane and Grant Fox paying the inevitable penalty.

Examples from the Corpus

wane• With violence appearing to be on the wane at the moment, he may well be right that the future looks bright.• At the time, the hobby had been on the wane for years.• The influence of government agents and chief headmen, on the wane since 1920, declined still further.• However, his opponents are convinced that even in true-blue East Hampshire Tory popularity is on the wane.• The vocational profession of Alpine shepherd is on the wane, an arduous life with unreliable income.• But I could see that the moon above my head was really on the wane.• But the conservatives' influence has lately seemed on the wane.• The event coincided with New Zealand on the wane and Grant Fox paying the inevitable penalty.

From Longman Business Dictionary

wanewane1 /weɪn/ verb [intransitiveI]

if something such as influence, interest, or power wanes, it gradually becomes less strong

Trading activity quickly waned after the initial flurry, leaving prices stuck at the lower levels.

There was some evidence that inflation was waning.

wanewane2 noun

on the wane becoming smaller, weaker, or less important

The positive signs are that economic growth is steady and unemployment is on the wane.

Origin wane1

Old English wanian

wane1 verbwane2 noun

Chinese