De*cay" (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Decayed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Decaying.] [OF. decaeir, dechaer, decheoir, F. d'echoir, to decline, fall, become less; L. de- + cadere to fall. See Chance.] To pass gradually from a sound, prosperous, or perfect state, to one of imperfection, adversity, or dissolution; to waste away; to decline; to fail; to become weak, corrupt, or disintegrated; to rot; to perish; as, a tree decays; fortunes decay; hopes decay.
Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey,
Where wealth accumulates and men decay.
Goldsmith.
© Webster 1913.
De*cay", v. t.
1. To cause to decay; to impair. [R.]
Infirmity, that decays the wise.
Shak.
2. To destroy. [Obs.]
Shak.
© Webster 1913.
De*cay", n.
1. Gradual failure of health, strength, soundness, prosperity, or of any species of excellence or perfection; tendency toward dissolution or extinction; corruption; rottenness; decline; deterioration; as, the decay of the body; the decay of virtue; the decay of the Roman empire; a castle in decay.
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.
Which has caused the decay of the consonants to follow somewhat different laws.
James Byrne.
2. Destruction; death. [Obs.]
Spenser.
3. Cause of decay. [R.]
He that plots to be the only figure among ciphers, is the decay of the whole age.
Bacon.
Syn. -- Decline; consumption. See Decline.
© Webster 1913. | 
