decay

putrefacción, caries

Descomposición natural de dientes, madera, alimentos u otras materias orgánicas.

En inglés sencillo: The natural breakdown of teeth, wood, food, or other living material.

• Sugar can cause tooth decay.
• Moisture encouraged decay in the wooden fence.
• Fungi speed up the decay of fallen leaves.

Sinónimos: rot, rotting, decomposition

Expresiones frecuentes: tooth decay, dental decay, wood decay

decaimiento, desintegración

Proceso por el que algo se descompone, pierde fuerza o disminuye en cantidad poco a poco.

En inglés sencillo: The gradual process of breaking down or becoming less strong or less in amount.

• The decay happened slowly.
• The graph shows the rate of decay.
• Heat can speed up the decay of some materials.

Cómo se usa: decay of something (We measured the decay of the signal over time.)

Sinónimos: breakdown, decline

Expresiones frecuentes: gradual decay, rate of decay, exponential decay

deterioro, decadencia

Pérdida gradual de fuerza, calidad, éxito o buen estado.

En inglés sencillo: A gradual loss of strength, quality, success, or good condition.

• The city showed signs of decay.
• Years of neglect led to the decay of the building.
• She blamed corruption for the moral decay of society.

Cómo se usa: decay of something (The report describes the decay of public services.); fall into decay (The empty houses fell into decay.)

Sinónimos: decline, deterioration

Antónimos: renewal

Expresiones frecuentes: urban decay, moral decay, fall into decay

caries, materia podrida

Materia dañada y ablandada por la descomposición; también la parte dañada de un diente con caries.

En inglés sencillo: Material that has become damaged and soft through rotting.

• The dentist removed the decay.
• Dark decay filled the hole in the tooth.
• They scraped the soft decay out of the old beam.

Sinónimos: rot

Expresiones frecuentes: remove decay, wood decay, full of decay

pudrirse, descomponerse

Descomponerse de forma natural, quedando dañado, blando o podrido.

En inglés sencillo: To break down naturally, becoming damaged, soft, or rotten.

• The fallen fruit began to decay.
• Damp wood decays quickly.
• The leaves had decayed by spring.

Sinónimos: rot, decompose

Expresiones frecuentes: decay slowly, begin to decay, decay in soil

deteriorarse, decaer

Volverse poco a poco más débil o deteriorarse.

En inglés sencillo: To gradually become weaker or worse in condition.

• The empire began to decay.
• Public institutions decayed under weak leadership.
• The abandoned buildings are decaying rapidly.

Sinónimos: deteriorate, decline

Antónimos: improve

Expresiones frecuentes: decay over time, begin to decay, decay gradually

desvanecerse, atenuarse

Perder intensidad poco a poco hasta notarse menos o desaparecer.

En inglés sencillo: To slowly become less noticeable or disappear.

• The sound slowly decayed.
• The signal decays as it travels farther.
• The vibration had decayed before we took another reading.

Sinónimos: fade, diminish

Antónimos: intensify

Expresiones frecuentes: decay away, decay with time, decay rapidly

pudrir, deteriorar

Hacer que algo se pudra o se dañe poco a poco.

En inglés sencillo: To make something rot or gradually become damaged.

• Dampness decayed the floorboards.
• Acids can decay teeth over time.
• Years of rain had decayed the exposed beams.

Cómo se usa: decay something (Constant moisture decayed the wooden supports.)

Sinónimos: rot, damage

Antónimos: preserve

Expresiones frecuentes: decay something, decay the wood