wane

/ˈwān/

Middle English wanien, wanen, going back to Old English wanian, going back to Germanic *wanōjan- (whence Old High German wanōn "to lessen," Old Norse vana), weak verb derivative from *wano- "deficient, absent," whence Old English & Old High German wan "lacking, deficient," Old Norse vanr, Gothic wans; akin to Latin vānus "empty, vain," Greek eûnis "bereft (of), without," Sanskrit ūna- "deficient, defective"

verb

  1. to decrease in size, extent, or degree : dwindle: such as

  2. to diminish in phase or intensity —used chiefly of the moon, other satellites, and inferior planets

  3. to become less brilliant or powerful : dim

abate subside wane ebb mean to die down in force or intensity. abate stresses the idea of progressive diminishing. subside implies the ceasing of turbulence or agitation.

noun

  1. the act or process of waning

  2. a period or time of waning; specifically : the period from the full moon to the new moon

  3. a defect in lumber characterized by bark or a lack of wood at a corner or edge

strength on the wane

idiom

  1. becoming smaller or less

Her popularity was on the wane.