Dictionary

decelerate en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /diːˈsɛləɹeɪt/ (UK)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Late 19th c., from de- + (ac)celerate. Compare deaccelerate.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To reduce the velocity of something.
   • The S.D.R. [Somerset & Dorset Railway] could not adhere to this schedule, and had to decelerate the service, but the original timings were restored when the M.R. and L.S.W.R. leased the S.D.R. 1953 August, David R. Webb, “By Rail to Bournemouth”, in Railway Magazine, page 554:
   • In May, for example, the Illinois Central RR. introduced the long-expected streamline version of the Panama Limited, with diesel haulage, cutting the time over the 921 miles between Chicago and New Orleans by 2hr. to 18hr. each way—the fastest on record—but decelerated other trains over the same route. 1942 November and December, “Notes and News: The War and American Train Services”, in Railway Magazine, page 369:
2. (transitive) To reduce the rate of advancement of something, such as a disease.
3. (intransitive) To go slower.
   • One of the disadvantages of increasing intermediate stops is that, as we have pointed out already, certain prestige trains have to suffer, notably the "Cornish Riviera Express", slowed 15min to Plymouth by stops at Taunton and Exeter; the "Torbay Express", decelerated 18min by stops at Reading, Westbury, Taunton and Newton Abbot; and the "Bristolian", which adds 14min in order to allow for a Bath stop and an increased load. 1961 October, “The winter timetables of British Railways: Western Region”, in Trains Illustrated, page 590:

Forms

Antonyms

accelerate

Deriveds

decelerator · undecelerated · deceleratingly · decelerationism · deceleron · decelerative · deceleration

Synonyms

slow · slow down · retard (reduce the rate of advancement)

Translations (47)

lb desacceleréieren (reduce the velocity of something) · ca descelerar (reduce the velocity of something) · hu lassít (reduce the velocity of something) · mi whakapōturi (reduce the velocity of something) · ca desaccelerar (reduce the rate of advancement of something) · ar تَبَاطَأ (reduce the velocity of something) · fr décélérer (reduce the velocity of something) · ro decelera (to go slower) · ro încetini (to go slower) · ru заме́длиться (to go slower) · bg забавям (to go slower) · bg намалявам скоростта (reduce the velocity of something) · ca descelerar (reduce the rate of advancement of something) · uk спові́льнюватися (to go slower) · bg намалявам скоростта (reduce the rate of advancement of something) · tl hidarasigin (reduce the velocity of something) · la retardare (reduce the velocity of something) · ru замедля́ть (reduce the velocity of something) · es desacelerar (reduce the velocity of something) · mi whakapūhoi (to go slower) · hu lelassít (reduce the velocity of something) · hu lassul (to go slower) · fr ralentir (to go slower) · ro încetini (reduce the rate of advancement of something) · la retardare (reduce the rate of advancement of something) · ru замедля́ться (to go slower) · es decelerar (reduce the velocity of something) · ar أبْطَأ (reduce the velocity of something) · ru заме́длить (reduce the velocity of something) · fr ralentir (reduce the velocity of something) · ro încetini (reduce the velocity of something) · it decelerare (to go slower) · fi hidastua (to go slower) · it decelerare (reduce the velocity of something) · fr décélérer (to go slower) · es desacelerar (to go slower) · fi hidastaa (reduce the velocity of something) · hu lelassul (to go slower) · uk спові́льнювати (reduce the velocity of something) · ar تَبَاطَأ (to go slower) · uk спові́льнити (reduce the velocity of something) · fi hidastaa (reduce the rate of advancement of something) · cs zpomalit (to go slower) · ca desaccelerar (reduce the velocity of something) · fi hiljentää vauhtia (reduce the velocity of something) · es decelerar (to go slower) · uk спові́льнитися (to go slower)