0 past simple and past participle of decline
2 to refuse:
3 If a noun, pronoun, or adjective declines, it has different forms to show if it is the subject or object, etc. of a verb or if it is singular or plural, etc. If you decline such a word, you list its various forms:
The latest opinion poll shows that the president's popularity has declined.
Profits have declined as a result of the recent drop in sales.
The levels of trade union and political activism in this country have greatly declined in the past 15 years.
Her popularity has declined since her triumphal return from exile two years ago.
Their economy has expanded enormously, while ours, by/in contrast, has declined.
When she was asked if she had any ambition to become prime minister, she respectfully declined to answer the question.
A spokesperson declined to speculate on the cause of the train crash.
