идти на убыль

• ИДТИ/ПОЙТИ НА УБЫЛЬ

[VP]

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1. [subj: usu. abstr or noncount concr]

⇒ to (begin to) decrease, diminish in quantity, volume, intensity etc:

- X идёт на убыль{{}}≈ X is beginning to ebb (wane, recede, lessen, die down, subside etc);

- X is on the ebb <the wane, the decrease etc>;

- X is subsiding (ebbing etc);

|| дни идут на убыль{{}}≈ the days are getting shorter;

|| [in refer to the diminution of the moon after the full moon] луна идёт на убыль{{}}≈ the moon is waning <on the wane>;

|| Neg X не идет на убыль{{}}≈ X shows no signs of subsiding (weakening etc);

- X is (has proved <to be>) persistent.

     ♦ Жара уже пошла на убыль. The heat has already begun to subside.

     ♦ Так вот, они утверждают, будто у советского народа вера в коммунизм пошла на убыль (Зиновьев 2). "So, they allege that the faith of the Soviet people in communism is on the ebb" (2a).

     ♦ Эпидемия поноса упорно не шла на убыль (Гинзбург 2). The diarrhea outbreak proved very persistent (2a).

2. [subj: abstr]

⇒ to enter its final period, approach its finish:

- X идёт на убыль{{}}≈ X is coming to an end <a close>;

- X is winding down;

- [of a period of time] it is late (in the day <the season etc>);

|| [with subj: годы, дни etc;

- in refer, to s.o.'s old age, approaching death] Х-овы дни идут на убыль{{}}≈ time is <the sands of time are> running out for X;

- X is not long for this world.

     ♦ Меня накормили сыром и мамалыгой, дед дал мне одну из своих палок, и я пустился в путь, хоть день шёл на убыль и солнце стояло над горизонтом на высоте дерева (Искандер 6). After the women had filled me up on cheese and hominy grits and grandfather had provided me with one of his walking sticks, I finally set off, though by now it was already late in the day and the sun was hanging low in the sky, no higher than the treetops (6a).