decay

/dɪˈkeɪ/ n. / v.
标准词条 CET-6IELTS
一句话记住

腐烂；衰败；衰退；腐烂；衰败；衰退

释义与例句

n. 腐烂；衰败；衰退
the process of gradually being destroyed by natural causes, or of becoming worse or weaker
  1. Regular brushing helps prevent tooth decay.
    经常刷牙有助于预防龋齿。
  2. The abandoned houses showed signs of decay.
    这些废弃的房屋显现出破败的迹象。
展开其余 1 条例句
  1. Investment is needed to reverse urban decay.
    需要投资来扭转城市衰败。
v. 腐烂；衰败；衰退
to rot slowly, or to become gradually weaker or worse
  1. Sugar increases the chance that teeth will decay.
    糖分会增加牙齿龋坏的可能性。
  2. The wooden bridge had decayed after years of rain.
    经过多年雨淋，木桥已经腐朽。
展开其余 1 条例句
  1. Without maintenance, public facilities can quickly decay.
    缺乏维护，公共设施会迅速破败。

词源与构词

源自古法语 decair，再追溯至拉丁语 de-（向下）与 cadere（落下）。

记忆钩子 decay 既可描述牙齿、木头等“腐烂”，也可描述城市、制度等逐渐“衰败”。

词族与关联词

同义词
  • rot 腐烂；腐朽
    rot 主要指有机物因自然作用而腐烂；decay 除指腐烂外，还常指建筑、制度、城市或影响力逐渐衰败。
    The fruit began to rot in the heat. 水果在高温下开始腐烂。
常见搭配
  • tooth decay 龋齿；蛀牙
    A diet high in sugar can cause tooth decay. 高糖饮食会导致龋齿。
  • urban decay 城市衰败
    The programme aims to reduce urban decay in old industrial areas. 该计划旨在改善老工业区的城市衰败。
  • decay over time 随时间衰退
    Some memories decay over time unless they are reinforced. 除非得到强化，有些记忆会随时间消退。