Hypertext Webster Gateway: "deteriorate"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Deteriorate \De*te"ri*o*rate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p.
{Deteriorated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Deteriorating}.] [L.
deterioratus, p. p. of deteriorate to deteriorate, fr.
deterior worse, prob. a comparative fr. de down, away.]
To make worse; to make inferior in quality or value; to
impair; as, to deteriorate the mind. --Whately.
The art of war . . . was greatly deteriorated.
--Southey.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Deteriorate \De*te"ri*o*rate\, v. i.
To grow worse; to be impaired in quality; to degenerate.
Under such conditions, the mind rapidly deteriorates.
--Goldsmith.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
deteriorate
v 1: become worse or disintegrate; "His mind deteriorated" [syn:
{degenerate}]
2: grow worse; "Her condition deteriorated" [syn: {drop}, {degenerate}]
[ant: {recuperate}]
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