|
Decay - Dictionary Definition and Overview |
|
Decay : (noun)
1: the process of gradually becoming inferior
2: a gradual decrease; as of stored charge or current [syn: decline]
3: the organic phenomenon of rotting [syn: decomposition]
4: 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"
5: the spontaneous disintegration of a radioactive substance
along with the emission of ionizing radiation [syn: radioactive
decay, disintegration]
(verb)
1: lose a stored charge, magnetic flux, or current; "the
particles disintegrated during the nuclear fission
process" [syn: disintegrate, decompose]
2: fall into decay or ruin; "The unoccupied house started to
decay" [syn: crumble, delapidate]
3: undergo decay or decomposition; "The body started to decay
and needed to be cremated"
Based on WordNet 2.0
|
|
Decay : \De*cay"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Decayed; p. pr. & vb. n.
Decaying.] [OF. decaeir, dechaer, decheoir, F. d['e]choir,
to decline, fall, become less; L. de- _ cadere to fall. See
Chance.]
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.
Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, Where
wealth accumulates and men decay. --Goldsmith.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
|
|
Decay : \De*cay"\, v. t.
1. To cause to decay; to impair. [R.]
Infirmity, that decays the wise. --Shak.
2. To destroy. [Obs.] --Shak.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
|
|
Decay : \De*cay"\, n.
1. 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.
Perhaps my God, though he be far before, May turn,
and take me by the hand, and more - May strengthen
my decays. --Herbert.
His [Johnson's] failure was not to be ascribed to
intellectual decay. --Macaulay.
Which has caused the decay of the consonants to
follow somewhat different laws. --James Byrne.
2. Destruction; death. [Obs.] --Spenser.
3. Cause of decay. [R.]
He that plots to be the only figure among ciphers,
is the decay of the whole age. --Bacon.
Syn: Decline; consumption. See Decline.
Based on Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
|
|
Decay :
[Nuclear physics] An automatic conversion which is applied to
most array-valued expressions in C; they "decay into"
pointer-valued expressions pointing to the array's first
element. This term is not used in the official standard for
the language.
[{Jargon File]
Based on the Online Dictionary of Computing [Computer_Dictionary]:
|
|
Decay : n.,vi [from nuclear physics] An automatic conversion which is
applied to most array-valued expressions in C; they `decay into'
pointer-valued expressions pointing to the array's first element. This
term is borderline techspeak, but is not used in the official standard
for the language.
Based on the Online Dictionary of Computing [Computer_Dictionary]:
|
|
|
|
|
