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Webster dictionary was developed by Noah Webster in the beginning of 19th century. On this website, you can find definition for decay from the 1913 edition of Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary. Define decay using one of the most comprehensive free online dictionaries on the web.
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decay
Part of Speech: Noun
Results: 7
1. Decayed.
Part of Speech: noun
1. Destruction; death.
3. 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.
4. 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.
Part of Speech: verb transitive
Examples of usage:
- But as he grew old it became evident that the " Professor" was beyond his work, and although he attended the Table with the utmost regularity up to the very end, the decay of nature robbed him of his value as a member of the Staff. - "The History of "Punch"", M. H. Spielmann.
- Of the cities in his kingdom, he allowed those on the sea- coast and the main roads to fall into partial decay, so that his power might be despised, while he collected great forces in the interior. - "Plutarch's Lives, Volume I (of 4)", Plutarch.
- It was autumn, there was a smell of decay in the air, and a sense of sorrow somehow. - "Furze the Cruel", John Trevena.