decay
单词辨析：
指（使）某物逐渐腐烂或建筑、地区等破败、衰坏；也可用于抽象概念，表示衰败、衰落。
The dampness of the climate caused the fruits to decay.
气候潮湿，水果都霉烂了。
Meat decays easily.
肉类很容易腐烂。
Two of my teeth decayed from lack of care.
由于不注意保护牙齿，我长了两颗蛀牙。
These buildings were left to decay.
这些建筑被听任破败下去。
The Roman Empire began to decay.
罗马帝国开始衰败。
指死去的动植物腐烂，常会产生毒气和臭味。
The dead fish laid putrefying under that tree.
那条死鱼在树下慢慢腐烂。
The body had putrefied beyond recognition.
尸体已经腐烂得辨认不出来了。
主要指由于自然变化而分解、腐烂，可有臭味也可没有臭味，引申则指人颓废、萎靡不振。
The continued rain will rot the wood.
连绵的雨会使木头烂掉。
The government simply left the unemployed to rot on the dole.
政府只是让那些失业者靠领取救济金颓废度日。
相关例句：
The problem of atomic decay in the microcavity is discussed.
研究了微腔中原子衰变问题。
Fluoride also helps teeth damaged from the decay process and breaks down bacteria on teeth.
氟化物也能帮助牙齿来自腐朽过程的损坏和牙齿中微生物的破坏。
Bacteria sticks to food debris in the teeth, causing decay.
细菌附着在牙缝中的食物残渣上，导致蛀牙。
The food was beginning to decay.
食物开始腐烂了。
This bacterial decay of cellulose also occurs in the gut of most herbivorous animals.
在很多食草动物的肠内这种纤维素也能被细菌分解。
Cavities in teeth are caused by decay.
牙齿上的空洞是由龋蚀造成的。