decay
verb
noun
dɪˈkeɪ
verb
1
to
be
slowly
destroyed
by
a
natural
chemical
process,
or
to
make
something
do
this
（使）腐烂;（使）变坏;
I,T
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、损坏或腐烂了。
decaying
organic
matter
腐烂的有机物
2
if
buildings,
structures,
or
areas
decay,
their
condition
gradually
becomes
worse
〔建筑、结构、地区〕破败，衰坏
I
Hundreds
of
historic
buildings
are
being
allowed
to
decay.
数百幢历史建筑被听任破败下去。
Britain’s
decaying
inner
cities
英国破败的旧城区
3
if
traditional
beliefs,
standards
etc
decay,
people
do
not
believe
in
them
or
support
them
any
more
〔传统观念、标准等〕失去影响力，衰败，衰落;
I
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较少。
noun
4
the
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
tooth
decay
蛀牙
5
the
gradual
destruction
of
buildings,
structures
etc
because
they
have
not
been
cared
for
〔疏于管理而造成建筑物和大楼的〕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。
6
the
gradual
destruction
of
ideas,
beliefs,
social
or
political
systems
etc
〔观念、信仰、社会组织、政治组织等的〕衰退，衰弱
moral
decay
道德的败坏