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decay - Meaning and Examples

Meaning of 'decay' (Webster Dictionary)

1 . Decay [ n.]
- Gradual failure of health, strength, soundness, prosperity, or of any species of excellence or perfection; tendency toward dissolution or extinction; corruption; rottenness; decline; deterioration; as, the decay of the body; the decay of virtue; the decay of the Roman empire; a castle in decay.
- Destruction; death.
- Cause of decay.
2 . Decay [ v. i.]
- To pass gradually from a sound, prosperous, or perfect state, to one of imperfection, adversity, or dissolution; to waste away; to decline; to fail; to become weak, corrupt, or disintegrated; to rot; to perish; as, a tree decays; fortunes decay; hopes decay.
3 . Decay [ v. t.]
- To cause to decay; to impair.
- To destroy.

Meaning of 'decay' (Princeton's WordNet)

1 . decay [ n]
Meaning (1):
- an inferior state resulting from the process of decaying
Example in sentence:
  • the corpse was in an advanced state of decay;
  • the house had fallen into a serious state of decay and disrepair
2 . decay [ v]
Meaning (2):
- undergo decay or decomposition
Example in sentence:
  • The body started to decay and needed to be cremated
Meaning (3):
- lose a stored charge, magnetic flux, or current
Example in sentence:
  • the particles disintegrated during the nuclear fission process
Meaning (4):
- fall into decay or ruin
Example in sentence:
  • The unoccupied house started to decay

Nearby Words:

deca- decacerata decachord decachordon decad decadal decade decadence decadency decadent

See 'decay' also in:

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