Decay

Decay - (Webster's 1828 Dictionary)

DECA'Y, v.i. [Fr. dechoir, from L. de and cado, to fall, or decedo.]

1. To pass gradually from a sound, prosperous, or perfect state, to a less perfect state, or towards destruction; to fail; to decline; to be gradually impaired. Our bodies decay in old age; a tree decays; buildings decay; fortunes decay.

2. To become weaker; to fail; as, our strength decays, or hopes decay.

DECA'Y, v.t. To cause to fail; to impair; to bring to a worse state.

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

DECA'Y, n.

1. Gradual failure of health, strength, soundness, prosperity, or any species of excellence or perfection; decline to a worse or less perfect state; tendency towards dissolution or extinction; a state of depravation or diminution. Old men feel the decay of the body. We perceive the decay of the faculties in age. We lament the decay of virtue and patriotism in the state. The northern nations invaded the Roman Empire, when in a state of decay.

2. Declension from prosperity; decline of fortune.

If thy brother be waxen poor, and fallen in decay. Lev 25.

3. Cause of decay.

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

de-ka': Although this word is still in good use in both its literal sense, of the putrefaction of either animal or vegetable matter, and its derived sense, denoting any deterioration, decline or gradual failure, the Revised Version (British and American) has replaced it by other expressions in Le 25:35; Ec 10:18; Isa 44:26; Heb 8:13; in some of these cases with a gain in accuracy of translation. In Ne 4:10 (kashal, "to be feeble," "stumble") the Revised Version (British and American) retains "is decayed"; in Job 14:11 (charebh, "to be dried up") the American Standard Revised Version substitutes "wasteth," and in Joh 11:39 the American Standard Revised Version has "the body decayeth" instead of the more literal translation offensive to modern ears (ozei, "emits a smell").

F. K. Farr