de·cay
noun/dɪˈkeɪ/
/dɪˈkeɪ/
[uncountable]- the process or result of being destroyed by natural causes or by not being cared for (= of decaying)
腐烂；腐朽 - tooth decay
龋齿 - The landlord had let the building fall into decay.
房东任由房子变得破烂不堪。 - The smell of death and decay hung over the town.
城镇上空弥漫着死亡和腐烂的气味。 - The decay of the wood will spread if it is not removed.
如果不将其清除，木材的腐烂将会蔓延。
Extra Examples- My dentist could not find any signs of decay.
牙医找不到我的牙齿有任何蛀蚀的迹象。 - Smoking accelerates age-related decay in the heart and arteries.
吸烟加速心脏和动脉的老化。 - The derelict buildings are the signs of a town in decay.
这些荒废的建筑兆示着一个城市的衰落。 - the slow decay of the castle and the surrounding buildings
城堡和周围建筑物的缓慢破败
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- rapid
- slow
- dental
- …
- cause
- stop
- reverse
- …
- in decay
- decay in
- decay of
- …
- the process of decay
- signs of decay
- an odour/odor of decay
- …
- tooth decay
- the process of a society, an institution, a system, etc. being gradually destroyed
（社会、机构、制度等的）衰落，衰退，衰败 - economic/moral/urban decay
经济衰退；道德败坏；城市衰落 - the decay of the old industries
旧工业的衰败
Extra Examples- This government promises to reverse industrial decay.
这届政府承诺扭转工业衰退的局面。 - Without a lot of money, the mayor won't be able to stop urban decay.
若没有大量的资金，市长就无法阻止城市的衰落。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- rapid
- slow
- dental
- …
- cause
- stop
- reverse
- …
- in decay
- decay in
- decay of
- …
- the process of decay
- signs of decay
- an odour/odor of decay
- …
- economic/moral/urban decay
- (physics) the process by which a radioactive substance changes to a different form by sending out radiation
（放射性物质的）衰变 - Radioactive decay happens at a constant rate regardless of exposure to air.
无论是否暴露在空气中，放射性衰变都会以恒定的速率发生。
- Radioactive decay happens at a constant rate regardless of exposure to air.
Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French decair, based on Latin decidere ‘fall down or off’, from de- ‘from’ + cadere ‘fall’.