The meaning of Atrophy

verb

(of a structure) suddenly fall down or give way.

Usage examples:

The roof collapsed on top of me

noun

An instance of a structure falling down or giving way.

Usage examples:

The collapse of a railway bridge

verb

Break down, literally or metaphorically

verb

Break or fall apart into small fragments, especially as part of a process of deterioration.

Usage examples:

The plaster started to crumble

noun

A mixture of flour and fat that is rubbed to the texture of breadcrumbs and cooked as a topping for fruit.

Usage examples:

Sprinkle the crumble over the rhubarb

verb

To break into small pieces

Usage examples:

[ i ] that old wall is starting to crumble.

verb

(of organic matter) rot or decompose through the action of bacteria and fungi.

Usage examples:

The body had begun to decay

noun

The state or process of rotting or decomposition.

Usage examples:

Hardwood is more resistant to decay than softwood

noun

Damage, or a state that becomes gradually worse

Usage examples:

The dentist says i have a lot of tooth decay., there’s still too much crime, poverty, and decay in …

adjective

Rotting or decomposing through the action of bacteria and fungi.

Usage examples:

The odour of decaying fish

verb

(of organic matter) rot or decompose through the action of bacteria and fungi.

Usage examples:

The body had begun to decay

verb

(typically of something regarded as good) become smaller, fewer, or less; decrease.

Usage examples:

The birth rate continued to decline

noun

A gradual and continuous loss of strength, numbers, quality, or value.

Usage examples:

A serious decline in bird numbers

verb

To go down in amount or quality; lessen or weaken

Usage examples:

His interest in the project declined after his wife died., her health declined quickly., [ t ] she …

adjective

Becoming smaller, fewer, or less; decreasing.

Usage examples:

Declining budgets

verb

(typically of something regarded as good) become smaller, fewer, or less; decrease.

Usage examples:

The birth rate continued to decline

verb

Present participle of decline

Usage examples:

His interest in the project declined after his wife died., the party's popularity has declined in t…

adjective

Having lost the physical, mental, or moral qualities considered normal and desirable; showing evidence of decline.

Usage examples:

A degenerate form of a higher civilization

noun

An immoral or corrupt person.

Usage examples:

Get out of my house, you degenerate!

verb

Decline or deteriorate physically, mentally, or morally.

Usage examples:

The quality of life had degenerated

verb

Decline or deteriorate physically, mentally, or morally.

Usage examples:

The quality of life had degenerated

adjective

Having lost the physical, mental, or moral qualities considered normal and desirable; showing evidence of decline.

Usage examples:

A degenerate form of a higher civilization

adjective

Lacking some usual or expected property or quality.

Usage examples:

If the planes pass through the vertex of the cone, the conics are said to be degenerate, otherwise …

noun

The state or process of being or becoming degenerate; decline or deterioration.

Usage examples:

Overgrazing has caused serious degeneration of grassland

noun

The process of becoming worse

Usage examples:

X-rays showed some degeneration of bone.

verb

Become progressively worse.

Usage examples:

Relations between the countries had deteriorated sharply

verb

To become worse

Usage examples:

She went into the hospital when her condition began to deteriorate., a deterioration in relations b…

verb

To become worse

Usage examples:

If the economy continues to deteriorate, it will affect the firm's future performance., sales will …

adjective

Becoming progressively worse.

Usage examples:

Deteriorating economic conditions

verb

Become progressively worse.

Usage examples:

Relations between the countries had deteriorated sharply

verb

Present participle of deteriorate

Usage examples:

She was taken into hospital last week when her condition suddenly deteriorated., the political situ…

noun

The process of becoming progressively worse.

Usage examples:

A deterioration in the condition of the patient

noun

The process or fact of becoming worse

Usage examples:

We cannot allow continued deterioration of our production standards., a deterioration in retail sal…

verb

Break up into small parts as the result of impact or decay.

Usage examples:

Our shoes had to last until they disintegrated on our feet

verb

To become weaker or be destroyed by breaking into small pieces

Usage examples:

The spacecraft disintegrated as it entered the earth’s atmosphere.

verb

Diminish gradually in size, amount, or strength.

Usage examples:

Traffic has dwindled to a trickle

verb

To become less in number or smaller

Usage examples:

The community had dwindled to a tenth of its former size.

verb

To gradually become less, smaller, or lower in level

Usage examples:

Dwindle from sth to sth the municipality's population has dwindled from 40,000 to 24,000., dwindlin…

noun

The state of being abnormally thin or weak.

Usage examples:

Thin to the point of emaciation

noun

The state of being very thin and weak, usually because of illness or extreme hunger

Usage examples:

In spite of the fact that the patient eats well, the disease causes emaciation., chronic wasting di…

verb

Gradually grow faint and disappear.

Usage examples:

The light had faded and dusk was advancing

noun

The process of becoming less bright.

Usage examples:

The sun can cause colour fade

verb

Become less clearly visible or distinguishable

phrasal verb

Consent reluctantly

phrasal verb

To finally agree to something that someone wants after first refusing

Usage examples:

If you want them to give in you'll have to offer them more than that., after months of resisting th…

phrasal verb

Give up in the face of defeat of lacking hope; admit defeat

phrasal verb

To stop doing or to stop having something

Usage examples:

He gave up jogging after his heart attack., although behind in the chess match, he refused to give …

phrasal verb

To stop trying to do something before you have finished, usually because it is too difficult

Usage examples:

She has a struggle trying to persuade the board to accept her proposal, but she's determined not to…

verb

Become or make smaller in size or amount.

Usage examples:

The workforce shrank to a thousand

noun

A psychiatrist.

Usage examples:

You should see a shrink

verb

To become smaller or cause something to become smaller

Usage examples:

[ i ] the show’s audience has shrunk in the last few months., [ t ] i shrank my sweater by putting …

adjective

Becoming smaller in size or amount.

Usage examples:

The shrinking market has provoked a massive price war

verb

Become or make smaller in size or amount.

Usage examples:

The workforce shrank to a thousand

adjective

Becoming smaller or less

Usage examples:

The shrinking workforce would have to support a growing number of retired people., rapidly/steadily…

verb

Wrinkle and contract or cause to wrinkle and contract, especially due to loss of moisture.

Usage examples:

The flowers simply shrivelled up

verb

To become dried out and smaller, appearing crushed or folded, or to make something do this

Usage examples:

[ t ] the hot sun shriveled the flowers i put in the window.

verb

Wrinkle and contract or cause to wrinkle and contract, especially due to loss of moisture.

Usage examples:

The flowers simply shrivelled up

Present participle of shrivel

verb

Sit, lean, or fall heavily and limply.

Usage examples:

She slumped against the cushions

noun

A sudden severe or prolonged fall in the price, value, or amount of something.

Usage examples:

A slump in profits

verb

To fall heavily and suddenly

Usage examples:

She slumped to the floor in a faint., the old man slumped in his chair, asleep., we both slumped ag…

verb

Become less intense, violent, or severe.

Usage examples:

I'll wait a few minutes until the storm subsides

verb

(of a condition) to become less strong, or (of an activity or disagreement) to become less violent

Usage examples:

When her pain didn’t subside, matt drove her to the hospital., friction between the groups subsided…

verb

(of the moon) have a progressively smaller part of its visible surface illuminated, so that it appears to decrease in size.

Usage examples:

Tory tried to see her reflection, but the moon was waning, the stars obscured by clouds.

noun

The amount by which a plank or log is bevelled or falls short of a squared shape.

Usage examples:

I cut the log into slabs without removing the outside wane

verb

Use or expend carelessly, extravagantly, or to no purpose.

Usage examples:

We can't afford to waste electricity

adjective

(of a material, substance, or by-product) eliminated or discarded as no longer useful or required after the completion of a process.

Usage examples:

Ensure that waste materials are disposed of responsibly

noun

An act or instance of using or expending something carelessly, extravagantly, or to no purpose.

Usage examples:

It's a waste of time trying to argue with him

adjective

Causing a person or a part of the body to become progressively weaker and more emaciated.

Usage examples:

A wasting disease

verb

Use or expend carelessly, extravagantly, or to no purpose.

Usage examples:

We can't afford to waste electricity

verb

Present participle of waste

Usage examples:

You waste a lot of water by taking a bath instead of a shower., come on, let's get started - we've …

verb

Make or become weaker in power, resolve, or physical strength.

Usage examples:

Fault lines had weakened and shattered the rocks

verb

To make or become weak or weaker

Usage examples:

[ i ] the country’s economy continues to weaken., [ t ] long exposure to vibration can weaken aircr…

verb

To become or make something or someone become less powerful, successful, effective, etc.

Usage examples:

A series of scandals weakened investor confidence., the plan has divided the country and weakened t…

verb

Make or become weaker in power, resolve, or physical strength.

Usage examples:

Fault lines had weakened and shattered the rocks

verb

(of a plant, leaf, or flower) become limp through heat, loss of water, or disease; droop.

Usage examples:

At this time, chill treatment seedlings were severely wilted with extensive leaf rolling characteri…

noun

Any of a number of fungal or bacterial diseases of plants characterized by wilting of the foliage.

Usage examples:

These varieties are more resistant to aphids and wilt

verb

Archaic second person singular of will1.

verb

(of a plant, leaf, or flower) become limp through heat, loss of water, or disease; droop.

Usage examples:

At this time, chill treatment seedlings were severely wilted with extensive leaf rolling characteri…

noun

Any of a number of fungal or bacterial diseases of plants characterized by wilting of the foliage.

Usage examples:

These varieties are more resistant to aphids and wilt

verb

Present participle of wilt

Usage examples:

Cut flowers will soon wilt without water., after only an hour's hiking they were beginning to wilt …

verb

(of a plant) become dry and shrivelled.

Usage examples:

The grass had withered to an unappealing brown

verb

To become, or cause something to become, weak, dry, and smaller

Usage examples:

[ t ] hot, dry weather withered the peanut crop in the southeast., [ i ] fig. public interest in th…

adjective

Intended to make someone feel humiliated; scornful.

Usage examples:

A withering look

verb

(of a plant) become dry and shrivelled.

Usage examples:

The grass had withered to an unappealing brown

adjective

Expressing strong criticism

Usage examples:

She delivered a withering attack on the book and its authors.