decay

pourriture, carie, décomposition

Dégradation naturelle des dents, du bois, des aliments ou d’autres matières organiques.

En anglais simple : 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.

Synonymes : rot, rotting, decomposition

Expressions courantes : tooth decay, dental decay, wood decay

dégradation, décroissance

Processus par lequel quelque chose se décompose, perd de sa force ou diminue progressivement.

En anglais simple : 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.

Comment l'utiliser : decay of something (We measured the decay of the signal over time.)

Synonymes : breakdown, decline

Expressions courantes : gradual decay, rate of decay, exponential decay

déclin, dégradation

Perte progressive de force, de qualité, de réussite ou de bon état.

En anglais simple : 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.

Comment l'utiliser : decay of something (The report describes the decay of public services.); fall into decay (The empty houses fell into decay.)

Synonymes : decline, deterioration

Contraires : renewal

Expressions courantes : urban decay, moral decay, fall into decay

carie, matière pourrie

Matière abîmée et ramollie par la pourriture, ou partie d’une dent endommagée par une carie.

En anglais simple : 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.

Synonymes : rot

Expressions courantes : remove decay, wood decay, full of decay

pourrir, se décomposer

Se décomposer naturellement en s’abîmant, en ramollissant ou en pourrissant.

En anglais simple : 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.

Synonymes : rot, decompose

Expressions courantes : decay slowly, begin to decay, decay in soil

se dégrader, décliner

Devenir progressivement plus faible ou se dégrader.

En anglais simple : 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.

Synonymes : deteriorate, decline

Contraires : improve

Expressions courantes : decay over time, begin to decay, decay gradually

s'estomper, s'atténuer

Devenir progressivement moins perceptible ou disparaître.

En anglais simple : 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.

Synonymes : fade, diminish

Contraires : intensify

Expressions courantes : decay away, decay with time, decay rapidly

faire pourrir, dégrader

Faire pourrir quelque chose ou l’abîmer progressivement.

En anglais simple : 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.

Comment l'utiliser : decay something (Constant moisture decayed the wooden supports.)

Synonymes : rot, damage

Contraires : preserve

Expressions courantes : decay something, decay the wood