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# decay

«decay» in Mova's school dictionary: **To rot or break down slowly, as dead plants, animals and…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

verb (decay, decays, decayed, decaying); noun (decay — uncountable)

### meaning for a pupil

1) To rot or break down slowly, as dead plants, animals and food do. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decay/#m1)

2) To become weaker or worse over time, like an old building. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decay/#m2)

3) As a noun, the process of rotting; "tooth decay" is holes in teeth caused by germs and sugar. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decay/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In science, decomposers like fungi, bacteria and worms make dead things decay, returning nutrients to the soil; this is part of the life cycle and compost. In health lessons, tooth decay is caused by sugar and germs, so we brush twice a day. Phrases: tooth decay, decay away, start to decay, in decay.

### examples

- Leaves decay and turn into soil. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decay/#x1)
- Brush your teeth to stop tooth decay. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decay/#x2)
- The old log was decaying in the forest. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decay/#x3)
- Worms and fungi help things decay. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decay/#x4)
- The castle has fallen into decay. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decay/#x5)
- Sugary drinks cause tooth decay. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decay/#x6)
- But he feared nothing, except that his plums should decay, and this never happened. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decay/#x7)

### note

Regular verb: decayed, decaying. Spelling: d-e-c-a-y. Decay is a natural process that helps the soil. In science, things decay faster when warm and damp, and slower when cold or dry.

### In the corpora

- [Sugary and fizzy drinks cause tooth decay, so water and milk are the best everyday drinks.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/74-flossing-and-caring-for-teeth/7/)
- [Sealants and fluoride varnish are quick, painless coatings that help protect the back teeth from decay.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/75-the-dentist-and-washing-hands/8/)
- [Sugary drinks are one of the biggest causes of tooth decay and extra weight in children.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/80-sleep-and-healthy-eating/23/)
- [Tooth decay is one of the most common illnesses in children, and bad decay can cause toothache, infection and lost teeth.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/208-teeth-nails-baths-and-toilets/20/)
- [Tricking a check, like wetting a toothbrush, fools a person but not your body: teeth that are not brushed get decay.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/everyday/427-i-did-brush-my-teeth-little-lies-at-home/19/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «decay» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/decay/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.