decay

Universal Words noun, verb noun [U] 1 the process or result of being destroyed by natural causes or by not being cared for (= of decaying): tooth decay * The landlord had let the building fall into decay. * The smell of death and decay hung over the town. * The decay of the wood will spread if it is not removed. 2 the gradual destruction of a society, an institution, a system, etc: economic / moral / urban decay * the decay of the old industries verb 1 to be destroyed gradually by natural processes; to destroy sth in this way SYNROT: [V] decaying leaves / teeth / food [also VN] 2 [V] if a building or an area decays, its condition slowly becomes worse: decaying inner city areas 3 [V] to become less powerful and lose influence over people, society, etc: decaying standards of morality