英语词汇“decay”的英英意思、用法、释义、翻译、读音、例句、短语、词组-英语词典

verb | noun

decaydecay1 /dɪˈkeɪ/ ●●○ verb (decays, decayed, decaying)

ETYMOLOGYdecay¹

Origin: 1400-1500 Old North French decaïr, from Late Latin decadere to fall, sink

VERB TABLE

decay

Simple Form
Present	I, you, we, they	decay
	he, she, it	decays
Past	I, you, he, she, it, we, they	decayed
Present perfect	I, you, we, they	have decayed
	he, she, it	has decayed
Past perfect	I, you, he, she, it, we, they	had decayed
Future	I, you, he, she, it, we, they	will decay
Future perfect	I, you, he, she, it, we, they	will have decayed

Continuous Form
Present	I	am decaying
	he, she, it	is decaying
	you, we, they	are decaying
Past	I, he, she, it	was decaying
	you, we, they	were decaying
Present perfect	I, you, we, they	have been decaying
	he, she, it	has been decaying
Past perfect	I, you, he, she, it, we, they	had been decaying
Future	I, you, he, she, it, we, they	will be decaying
Future perfect	I, you, he, she, it, we, they	will have been decaying

1[intransitive, transitive] to be slowly destroyed by a natural chemical process, or to make something do this SYN rot: As the plants decay, they give off gases. Avoid sugary foods that decay your teeth. → see also decompose2[intransitive often in progressive] if things such as buildings or areas decay, their condition becomes worse, especially because they are not taken care of: This decaying city was once the busiest port in the world.3[intransitive often in progressive] if a society, a system, standards, etc. decay, they gradually become worse in quality or less powerful SYN decline: the decaying moral values of American society [Origin: 1400–1500 Old North French decaïr, from Late Latin decadere to fall, sink]

verb | noun

decaydecay2 ●●○ noun [uncountable]

COLLOCATIONS► tooth decay

Fluoride is helpful in fighting tooth decay.

► falling into decay

The Civil War-era house was falling into decay (=beginning to decay).

► in decay

By that time the empire was in decay (=becoming less powerful).

1the natural chemical change that causes the slow destruction of something: Organisms in the soil help the process of decay. Fluoride is helpful in fighting tooth decay.2the gradual destruction of buildings and structures caused by a lack of care: poverty and urban decay The Civil War-era house was falling into decay (=beginning to decay).3the process of gradually becoming worse in quality or less powerful SYN decline: moral decaydecay in a decay in educational standards By that time the empire was in decay (=becoming less powerful).4the part of something that has been destroyed by a gradual chemical change: There is decay in some of the floorboards.