Lexic.us

Definition of Deteriorate

1. Verb. Become worse or disintegrate. "His mind deteriorated"

2. Verb. Grow worse. "The discussion devolved into a shouting match"

Definition of Deteriorate

1. v. t. To make worse; to make inferior in quality or value; to impair; as, to deteriorate the mind.

2. v. i. To grow worse; to be impaired in quality; to degenerate.

Definition of Deteriorate

1. Verb. (transitive) To make worse; to make inferior in quality or value; to impair. ¹

2. Verb. (intransitive) To grow worse; to be impaired in quality; to degenerate. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Deteriorate

1. [v -RATED, -RATING, -RATES]

Lexicographical Neighbors of Deteriorate

detenues detenus deter deterge deterged detergence detergencies detergency detergent detergent builder

detergents deterger detergers deterges deterging deteriorate (current term) deteriorated deteriorates deteriorating deterioratingly

deterioration deteriorationism deteriorationist deteriorationists deteriorations deteriorative deteriority determent determents determin'd

Literary usage of Deteriorate

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Semantics: Studies in the Science of Meaning by Michel Bréal (1900)
"The " tendency to deteriorate"—Other tendencies no less imaginary. ... Nevertheless, we hear of a pejorative tendency, of a tendency to deteriorate, etc. ..."

2. The Call of the Hen; Or, The Science of the Selection and Breeding of Poultry by National Council of Teachers of English Committee on Recreational Reading, Walter Hogan, Sherman Dickinson, Harry Reynolds Lewis, Raymond William Gregory, Louis Renou, B. K. Hindse, A. V. Leontovich, Arthur John Arberry (1913)
"... very fertile eggs, and the progeny would deteriorate each year if they were bred from stock with heads like this. If the parents were 200 egg type, ..."

3. Modern English Literature: Its Blemishes and Defects by Henry Hegart Breen (1857)
"A correct instance of the use of deteriorate is the following from Chenevix :— " There is not one of them, the loss of which would not now essentially ..."

4. The Annual of Scientific Discovery, Or, Year-book of Facts in Science and Art by David Ames Wells, George Bliss, Samuel Kneeland, John Trowbridge, Charles Robert Cross (1869)
"From these facts he infers that intense currents passed through submarine cables must eventually deteriorate them, and counsels their avoidance. ..."

5. The Annual of Scientific Discovery, Or, Year-book of Facts in Science and Art. by David Ames Wells, George Bliss, Samuel Kneeland, John Trowbridge, Wm Ripley Nichols, Charles R Cross (1869)
"From these facts he infers that intense currents passed through submarine cables must eventually deteriorate them, and counsels their avoidance. ..."

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