Decay

[imp. & p. p. DECAYED; p. pr. & vb. n. DECAYING.] [O. Fr. decaer, decaeir, decaoir, dechaer, decheoir, now d'échoir, Pr. decazer, dechazer, Sp. decaer, It. decedere, from Lat. de and cedere, to fall; Pg. descahir.] To pass gradually from a sound, prosperous, or perfect state, to one of imperfection, weakness, or dissolution; to fall; to decline; to become weak, corrupt, or disintegrated; as, a tree decays; fortunes decay.

Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, Where wealth accumulates and men decay. Goldsmith.

v. t. To cause to fall; to impair; to bring to a worse state. [Rare.]

Infirmity, that decays the wise, doth ever make better the fool. Shak.

n. 1. Gradual failure of health, strength, soundness, prosperity, or any species of excellence or perfection; tendency toward dissolution or extinction; corruption; decline; as, the decay of the body; the decay of virtue; the decay of the Roman empire.

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.

2Sense 2. Cause of decay. [Rare.]

He that plots to be the only figure among ciphers, is the decay of the whole age. Bacon.

Synonyms—Decline; consumption. See DECLINE.