decay
Word family adjectivedecayedverbdecay
de·cay1 /dɪˈkeɪ/ ●●○ verb 1 [intransitiveI, transitiveT]DECAY to be slowly destroyed by a natural chemical process, or to make something do this (使)腐烂;(使)变坏 Her body was already starting to decay. 她的尸体已经开始腐烂。
Most archaeological finds are broken, damaged, or decayed. 大部分考古发现物都已破裂、损坏或腐烂。
decaying organic matter 腐烂的有机物
RegisterIn everyday English, people usually say rot rather than decay when talking about food: 在日常英语中,人们谈论食物一般说 rot ,而不用 decay
There was a smell of rotting vegetables. 有股蔬菜腐烂的味道。
2 [intransitiveI]DECAY if buildings, structures, or areas decay, their condition gradually becomes worse 〔建筑、结构或地区〕破败,毁坏 Hundreds of historic buildings are being allowed to decay. 数百幢历史建筑被任由破败。
Britain’s decaying inner cities 英国破败的旧城区
3 [intransitiveI]LESS if traditional beliefs, standards etc decay, people do not believe in them or support them anymore 〔传统观念、标准等〕失去影响力,衰败,衰落 SYN decline In Orthodox Europe, mass religion seems to have decayed less. 在正教会流行的欧洲地区,集体宗教信仰的影响力似乎衰退得没那么严重。
n THESAURUSdecay to be slowly destroyed by a natural chemical process – use this especially about natural things such as wood or plants, or about teethThe leaves decay and enrich the soil.
He had bad breath and decaying teeth.
The fabric slowly began to decay.
rot to decay. Rot is less formal than decay and is more common in everyday EnglishThe fruit was left to rot on the ground.
rotting teeth
Most of the wood under the paint had rotted.
the smell of rotting vegetation (=decaying leaves and plants)
go off British EnglishBrE if food goes off, it starts to smell bad and is no longer be safe to eatI think the milk’s gone off.
The meat smells as if it's gone off.
spoil if food spoils, it starts to decay, so that it is no longer safe to eat. Spoil is more formal and is less common in everyday British English than go offFood left in the sun will quickly start to spoil.
go mouldy British EnglishBrE, moldy American EnglishAmE to begin to have a soft green or black substance growing on the surface of the food, so that it is not good to eat anymoreUgh, the cheese has gone mouldy!
decompose formal to decay – use this especially about dead plants or fleshleaves decomposing on the forest floor
putrefy formal to decay and have a very bad smell – use this especially about flesh or plantsAfter two days, the body was already beginning to putrefy.
putrefying meat
biodegrade to decay naturally into substances that do not harm the environment – use this especially about man-made materials and chemicalsUnlike many other materials, plastic does not biodegrade.
decay2 ●●○ noun [uncountableU] 1 DECAYthe natural chemical change that causes the slow destruction of something 腐烂,朽烂 old cars in various stages of decay 损坏程度不等的旧车
2 DESTROYthe gradual destruction of buildings, structures etc because they have not been cared for 〔疏于管理而造成建筑物等的〕破败,衰败 poverty and urban decay 贫穷和市区的破败
fall into (a state of) decay During the war, the area fell into decay. 战争期间这个地区衰败了。
3 LESSthe gradual destruction of ideas, beliefs, social or political systems etc 〔观念、信仰、社会制度、政治制度等的〕衰退,没落 n COLLOCATIONSverbscause decayBacteria stick to food and cause decay.
prevent decayYou can use a preservative on the wood to prevent further decay.
ADJECTIVES/NOUN + decay tooth/dental decayEating too much sugar causes tooth decay.
natural decayEverything in our environment is subject to natural decay.
phrasesthe process of decayThe natural processes of decay gradually destroys archaeological sites.
a sign of decayI couldn't see any signs of decay on the fruit.
fall into (a state of) decay• From the time of Laurence little work was carried out on the Palace and it was again allowed to fall into decay. Origin decay1 (1400-1500) Old North French decaïr, from Late Latin decadere “to fall, sink”