decay

  • 11decay — 01. The [decaying] leaves in the garden are actually good for it and make the soil richer. 02. Tooth [decay] is preventable with proper oral hygiene. 03. The dentist said my tooth is so [decayed] that he may have to pull it. 04. The rise in… …

    Grammatical examples in English

  • 12decay — decayable, adj. decayedness /di kayd nis, kay id /, adj. decayless, adj. /di kay /, v.i. 1. to become decomposed; rot: vegetation that was decaying. 2. to decline in excellence, prosperity, health, etc.; deteriorate. 3. Physics. (of a radioactive …

    Universalium

  • 13decay — 1 verb 1 (I, T) to be slowly destroyed by a natural chemical process, or to make something do this: The carcass was already starting to decay. 2 (intransitive often in progressive) if buildings, structures, or areas decay, their condition… …

    Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • 14decay — de|cay1 [dıˈkeı] v [Date: 1400 1500; : Old North French; Origin: decaïr, from Late Latin decadere to fall, sink ] 1.) [I and T] to be slowly destroyed by a natural chemical process, or to make something do this →↑rot ▪ Her body was already… …

    Dictionary of contemporary English

  • 15decay */ — I UK [dɪˈkeɪ] / US verb [intransitive] Word forms decay : present tense I/you/we/they decay he/she/it decays present participle decaying past tense decayed past participle decayed 1) to be gradually destroyed as a result of a natural process of… …

    English dictionary

  • 16decay — n. 1) to fall into decay 2) tooth decay 3) radioactive decay 4) moral decay * * * [dɪ keɪ] moral decay radioactive decay to fall into decay tooth decay …

    Combinatory dictionary

  • 17decay — de|cay1 [ dı keı ] verb * 1. ) intransitive or transitive to be gradually destroyed as a result of a natural process of change, or to destroy something in this way: As dead trees decay, they feed the soil. Too much sugar will decay your teeth. 2 …

    Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • 18decay — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) n. decomposition, deterioration, disintegration, dilapidation, putrefaction, rot, caries. v. i. rot, putrefy, mortify; disintegrate. See oldness, uncleanness. II (Roget s IV) n. 1. [A progressive… …

    English dictionary for students

  • 19decay — {{11}}decay (n.) mid 15c., deterioration, decline in value, from DECAY (Cf. decay) (v.). Meaning gradual decrease in radioactivity is from 1897. {{12}}decay (v.) late 15c., to decrease, from Anglo Fr. decair, O.N.Fr. decair (O.Fr. decheoir, 12c …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 20decay — [dɪˈkeɪ] verb 1) [I/T] to be gradually destroyed as a result of a natural process, or to destroy something in this way As dead trees decay, they feed the soil.[/ex] Too much sugar will decay your teeth.[/ex] 2) [I] if a building or an area decays …

    Dictionary for writing and speaking English