[f. WANE v. + -ING2.] That wanes or is on the wane.
1. Decreasing or declining in importance, power, influence, etc. (See the senses of the vb.)
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., Induct. ii. 65. Thou hast a Ladie farre more Beautifull, Then any woman in this waining age.
1623. Fletcher, Sea Voy., IV. (1647), 14/2. Am I because I am in bonds and miserable,… My fortune like my wayning selfe, for this despis’d?
1831. Lamb, Elia, Ser. II. Ellistoniana. The last retreat, and recess, of his every-day waning grandeur.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng. (1858), I. ii. 90. The clergy sunk under the influence of a waning religion.
1882. Geikie, Text-bk. Geol., III. I. i. § 2. 209. The dormant or waning condition of a volcano.
1896. Conan Doyle, Exploits Gerard, ix. (1903), 89. I hurried wildly onward through the waning darkness, trusting that chance would be my friend.
¶ b. In the wild waning world: perversion of in the wild waniand: see WANIAND, WANION, and cf. quot. c. 1435 in WANING vbl. sb. 2 b.
c. 1485. Digby Myst. (1882), III. 140. In þe wyld wanyng word, pes all at onys!
c. Aging, growing old. rare.
1895. Season, March, Suppl. 45/3. I do not, as a rule, approve of black for waning people … but in this case, as the wearer was rather florid, the garment was a success.
2. Of the moon.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., I. 320. Þas wyrte þu scealt niman on waniʓendum monan.
1705. Addison, Italy, Ferrara, 115. Waining Moons their settled Periods keep To swell the Billows.
1755. B. Martin, Mag. Arts & Sci., 123. When God appoints, the horned Moon renews Her waining Light.
1797. Coleridge, Kubla Khan, 15. Beneath a waning moon.
1814. Byron, Lara, II. xxiv. When Cynthia’s light almost gave way to morn, And nearly veil’d in mist her waning horn.
1837. Whewell, Hist. Induct. Sci. (1857), I. 100. The waning, and the re-appearing moon.
3. Of light, or a luminary: Declining in luster, tending towards extinction.
1700. Blackmore, Song of Moses (Exod. xv.), 45. Let him … lift on high his Adamantine Shield, Whose brighter Lustre drowns the waining Sun.
1802. Maria Edgeworth, Moral T., Forrester, xiv. His waning candle sunk in the socket.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, xxxi. At last the day turned her waning candle pale, and she fell asleep.
1846. Keble, Lyra Innoc., Fine Clothes. Around where late the waning sun Sank in his evening cloud.
1873. E. E. Hale, In His Name, ix. 77. The waning embers of the fire.
b. Of the day: Drawing to a close.
1767. Jago, Edge-hill, IV. 156. But of the waining Day Mindful, and many a Theme as yet unsung, To future Bards she leaves your copious Praise.
4. Becoming scanty, running short. Now rare.
1632. Lithgow, Trav., VIII. 375. Our victuals and water done, we were forced to relye vpon Tobacco, and to drinke our owne wayning pisse.
1810. Miss Mitford, in L’Estrange, Life (1870), I. iv. 111. It is well for you that my waning paper brings this tiresome letter to an end.
1900. Conan Doyle, Green Flag, etc., 77. Behind him stood the watchful steward, for ever filling up his waning glass.
