deplete

deplete
transitive verb (depleted; depleting) Etymology: Latin depletus, past participle of deplēre, from de- + plēre to fill — more at full Date: 1807 1. to empty of a principal substance 2. to lessen markedly in quantity, content, power, or value • depletable adjectivedepleter noundepletion noundepletive adjective Synonyms: deplete, drain, exhaust, impoverish, bankrupt mean to deprive of something essential to existence or potency. deplete implies a reduction in number or quantity so as to endanger the ability to function <
depleting our natural resources
>
. drain implies a gradual withdrawal and ultimate deprivation of what is necessary to an existence <
personal tragedy had drained him of all spirit
>
. exhaust stresses a complete emptying <
her lecture exhausted the subject
>
. impoverish suggests a deprivation of something essential to richness or productiveness <
impoverished soil
>
. bankrupt suggests impoverishment to the point of imminent collapse <
war had bankrupted the nation of resources
>
.

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • deplete — I verb beggar, bleed, consume, decrease, dissipate, drain, drain of resources, dry up, eliminate, empty, empty out, evacuate, exhaust, expend, finish, impoverish, lessen, lose, pauperize, purge, reduce, render insufficient, run down, spend,… …   Law dictionary

  • deplete — de‧plete [dɪˈpliːt] verb [transitive] to greatly reduce the amount of something, using up nearly all of it: • Drastic measures will need to be taken if fish stocks in Europe s seas are not to be disastrously depleted. depleted adjective [only… …   Financial and business terms

  • deplete — vb Deplete, drain, exhaust, impoverish, bankrupt are comparable when they mean to deprive a thing in whole or in part of what is essential or necessary to its existence or potency. Deplete is often used as though it implied merely a reduction in… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Deplete — De*plete , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Depleted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Depleting}.] [From L. deplere to empty out; de + plere to fill. Forined like replete, complete. See {Fill}, {Full}, a.] 1. (Med.) To empty or unload, as the vessels of human system, by… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • deplete — 1807, back formation from DEPLETION (Cf. depletion). Related: Depleted; depleting …   Etymology dictionary

  • deplete — [v] consume, exhaust supply bankrupt, bleed*, decrease, dig into, diminish, drain, draw, dry up, empty, evacuate, expend, finish, impoverish, lessen, milk*, reduce, sap, spend, squander, suck dry*, undermine, use up, wash up, waste, weaken;… …   New thesaurus

  • deplete — ► VERB 1) reduce the number or quantity of. 2) use up (energy, stocks, etc.); exhaust. DERIVATIVES depletion noun. ORIGIN Latin deplere empty out …   English terms dictionary

  • deplete — [dē plēt′, diplēt′] vt. depleted, depleting [< L depletus, pp. of deplere, to empty < de , from + plere, to fill: see FULL1] 1. a) to make less by gradually using up (resources, funds, strength, etc.) b) to use up gradually the resources,… …   English World dictionary

  • deplete — [[t]dɪpli͟ːt[/t]] depletes, depleting, depleted VERB To deplete a stock or amount of something means to reduce it. [FORMAL] [V n] ...substances that deplete the ozone layer... [V n] They fired in long bursts, which depleted their ammunition... [V …   English dictionary

  • deplete — UK [dɪˈpliːt] / US [dɪˈplɪt] verb [transitive] Word forms deplete : present tense I/you/we/they deplete he/she/it depletes present participle depleting past tense depleted past participle depleted to reduce the amount of something or the number… …   English dictionary

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