the process or result of being destroyed by natural causes or by not being cared for (= of decaying) 腐烂；腐朽 tooth decay 蛀牙 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. 如果不清除，木头会腐烂。
Extra ExamplesMy 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
- …
the process of a society, an institution, a system, etc. being gradually destroyed （社会、机构、制度等的）衰败，衰退，衰落 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 ExamplesThis 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
- …
- (
physics 物理 the process by which a radioactive substance changes to a different form by sending out radiation 腐烂；腐朽 Radioactive decay happens at a constant rate regardless of exposure to air. 无论暴露在空气中，放射性衰变都以恒定的速率发生。
Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French decair, based on Latin decidere ‘fall down or off’, from de- ‘from’ + cadere ‘fall’.