decay :: Lexipedia - Where words have meaning

n. the process of gradually becoming inferior

n. 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"

decomposition

n. the organic phenomenon of rotting

radioactive decay

n. the organic phenomenon of rotting

decline

n. a gradual decrease; as of stored charge or current

disintegration, radioactive decay

n. the spontaneous disintegration of a radioactive substance along with the emission of ionizing radiation

decay

v. undergo decay or decomposition; "The body started to decay and needed to be cremated"

decompose, disintegrate

v. lose a stored charge, magnetic flux, or current; "the particles disintegrated during the nuclear fission process"

delapidate, crumble away, fall into decay, fall into ruin

v. fall into decay or ruin; "The unoccupied house started to decay"

inadequacy, insufficiency, deficiency

n. lack of an adequate quantity or number; "the inadequacy of unemployment benefits"

force, strength, forcefulness

n. physical energy or intensity; "he hit with all the force he could muster"; "it was destroyed by the strength of the gale"; "a government has not the vitality and forcefulness of a living man"

depression, dent, indentation

n. the act of cutting into an edge with toothlike notches or angular incisions

crash, collapse

n. a sudden large decline of business or the prices of stocks (especially one that causes additional failures)

turkey, bomb, dud

n. an event that fails badly or is totally ineffectual; "the first experiment was a real turkey"; "the meeting was a dud as far as new business was concerned"

deterioration, worsening, decline in quality

n. process of changing to an inferior state

ebb, ebbing, wane

n. a gradual decline (in size or strength or power or number)

bankruptcy

n. inability to discharge all your debts as they come due; "the company had to declare bankruptcy"; "fraudulent loans led to the failure of many banks"

waterloo, Waterloo

n. a final crushing defeat; "he met his waterloo"

fall, downfall

n. a sudden decline in strength or number or importance; "the fall of the House of Hapsburg"

lowering

n. the act of causing to become less

reduction, simplification

n. the act of reducing complexity

rust, corrode, eat, cause to rust

v. cause to deteriorate due to the action of water, air, or an acid; "The acid corroded the metal"; "The steady dripping of water rusted the metal stopper in the sink"

fret, eat away, erode

v. remove soil or rock; "Rain eroded the terraces"

metamorphose, transfigure, transmogrify

v. change completely the nature or appearance of; "In Kafka's story, a person metamorphoses into a bug"; "The treatment and diet transfigured her into a beautiful young woman"; "Jesus was transfigured after his resurrection"

shrink, shrivel, wither, shrivel up

v. wither, as with a loss of moisture; "The fruit dried and shriveled"

atrophy, undergo atrophy

v. undergo atrophy; "Muscles that are not used will atrophy"

fall

v. pass suddenly and passively into a state of body or mind; "fall into a trap"; "She fell ill"; "They fell out of favor"; "Fall in love"; "fall asleep"; "fall prey to an imposter"; "fall into a strange way of thinking"; "she fell to pieces after she lost her work"

break, bust, wear, wear out, fall apart

v. go to pieces; "The lawn mower finally broke"; "The gears wore out"; "The old chair finally fell apart completely"

degenerate, deteriorate, fall apart

v. become worse or disintegrate; "His mind deteriorated"

vanish, disappear, go away

v. get lost, as without warning or explanation; "He disappeared without a trace"

putrefy, become putrid

v. become putrid; decay with an offensive smell; "organic matter putrefies"

rust, corrode, eat, cause to rust

v. cause to deteriorate due to the action of water, air, or an acid; "The acid corroded the metal"; "The steady dripping of water rusted the metal stopper in the sink"

run, melt, melt down

v. reduce or cause to be reduced from a solid to a liquid state, usually by heating; "melt butter"; "melt down gold"; "The wax melted in the sun"

thaw, melt, unfreeze, unthaw

v. become or cause to become soft or liquid; "The sun melted the ice"; "the ice thawed"; "the ice cream melted"; "The heat melted the wax"; "The giant iceberg dissolved over the years during the global warming phase"; "dethaw the meat"

melt

v. lose its distinct outline or shape; blend gradually; "Hundreds of actors were melting into the scene"

fall apart, crumble

v. break or fall apart into fragments; "The cookies crumbled"; "The Sphinx is crumbling"

increase, increment

n. a process of becoming larger or longer or more numerous or more important; "the increase in unemployment"; "the growth of population"

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