decay

v.衰退

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
decay (verb)
intransitive verb
1.
to decline from a sound or prosperous condition
2.
to decrease usually gradually in size, quantity, activity, or force
3.
to fall into ruin
4.
to decline in health, strength, or vigor
5.
transitive verb
to undergo decomposition - decaying fruit
1.
obsolete to cause to decay - impair infirmity that decays the wise Shakespeare
2.
to destroy by decomposition
decay (noun)
1.
gradual decline in strength, soundness, or prosperity or in degree of excellence or perfection
2.
a wasting or wearing away - ruin
3.
obsolete - destruction death
4.
a) - rot , specifically aerobic decomposition of proteins chiefly by bacteria
b) the product of decay
5.
a decline in health or vigor
6.
decrease in quantity, activity, or force as
a) spontaneous decrease in the number of radioactive atoms in radioactive material
b) spontaneous disintegration (as of an atom or a particle)
Merriam-Webster Online Thesaurus
decay (noun)
1.
a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body
SYNONYMS:
debilitation, decay, decaying, declension, degeneration, descent, deterioration, ebbing, enfeeblement, weakening
RELATED WORDS:
atrophy; exhaustion; drooping, flagging, limping; regression, relapse, setback
NEAR ANTONYMS:
invigoration, strengthening; progress; rejuvenation, rejuvenescence
comeback, improvement, rally, recovery, recuperation, rehabilitation, revitalization, snapback
decay (noun)
2.
the process by which dead organic matter separates into simpler substances
SYNONYMS:
breakdown, decay, decomposition, festering, putrefaction, putrescence, rot, spoilage
RELATED WORDS:
crumbling, disintegration, dissolution; curdling, fermentation, moldering, souring
NEAR ANTONYMS:
growth, maturation, ripening
decay (verb)
1.
to go through decomposition
SYNONYMS:
break down, corrupt, decompose, disintegrate, fester, foul, mold, molder, perish, putrefy, rot, spoil
RELATED WORDS:
sour, turn, turn off []; contaminate, defile, pollute, taint; addle, curdle, ferment; mortify; rust; crumble, decline, degenerate, descend, deteriorate, dilapidate, sink, wither
fall apart, go to seed ( run to seed)
NEAR ANTONYMS:
age, develop, grow, mature, ripen; refresh, renew, restore; cleanse, purify; assemble, compose, integrate; ameliorate, better, improve, meliorate
decay (verb)
2.
to become worse or of less value
SYNONYMS:
atrophy, crumble, decay, decline, degenerate, descend, devolve, ebb, regress, retrograde, rot, sink, worsen
RELATED WORDS:
abate, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, recede, wane; break down, corrupt, decompose, degrade, dilapidate, disintegrate, molder, putrefy; sour, spoil; lessen, lower, reduce; debilitate, undermine; droop, fail, fall, flag, lag, languish, run down, sag, slip, waste (away), weaken, wilt
NEAR ANTONYMS:
better, upgrade; enhance, enrich, fortify, heighten, intensify, strengthen; advance, develop, march, proceed, progress
ameliorate, improve, meliorate
decay (verb)
3.
to lose bodily strength or vigor
SYNONYMS:
decay, droop, emaciate, fade, fail, flag, go, lag, languish, sag, sink, waste (away), wilt, wither
RELATED WORDS:
break down, wear out; yield; degenerate, deteriorate, rot, run down
NEAR ANTONYMS:
convalesce, rally, rebound, recover, recuperate; gain
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