de·cay /dɪˈke/
 (vi.)腐朽,腐爛;衰減,衰退(vt.)使腐壞U腐朽,腐爛;衰減,衰退


 de·cay /dɪˈke/ 不及物動詞
 腐蝕,腐爛,衰變,蛻變,衰退


 decay
 衰變


 decay
 衰變時間


 decay
 衰減


 De·cay v. i. [imp. & p. p. Decayed p. pr. & vb. n. Decaying.]  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.
 Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey,
 Where wealth accumulates and men decay.   --Goldsmith.


 De·cay, v. t.
 1. To cause to decay; to impair. [R.]
    Infirmity, that decays the wise.   --Shak.
 2. To destroy. [Obs.]


 De·cay, n.
 1. 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.
 Perhaps my God, though he be far before,
 May turn, and take me by the hand, and more --
 May strengthen my decays.   --Herbert.
    His [Johnson's] failure was not to be ascribed to intellectual decay.   --Macaulay.
    Which has caused the decay of the consonants to follow somewhat different laws.   --James Byrne.
 2. Destruction; death. [Obs.]
 3. Cause of decay. [R.]
    He that plots to be the only figure among ciphers, is the decay of the whole age.   --Bacon.
 Syn: -- Decline; consumption. See Decline.

 ◄ ►


 decay
      n 1: the process of gradually becoming inferior
      2: a gradual decrease; as of stored charge or current [syn: decline]
      3: the organic phenomenon of rotting [syn: decomposition]
      4: an inferior state resulting from the process of decaying;
         "the corpse was in an advanced state of decay"; "the house
         had fallen into a serious state of decay and disrepair"
      5: the spontaneous disintegration of a radioactive substance
         along with the emission of ionizing radiation [syn: {radioactive
         decay, disintegration]
      v 1: lose a stored charge, magnetic flux, or current; "the
           particles disintegrated during the nuclear fission
           process" [syn: disintegrate, decompose]
      2: fall into decay or ruin; "The unoccupied house started to
         decay" [syn: crumble, delapidate]
      3: undergo decay or decomposition; "The body started to decay
         and needed to be cremated"