deteriorate

动词 deteriorate:

1. become worse or disintegrate
2. grow worse
   同义词：devolve, drop, degenerate

1. Food is apt to deteriorate in summer.
   食物在夏天容易变质。
2. Relation between the two countries have deteriorated sharply in recent week.
   最近几周那两个国家间的关系严重恶化了。

de.te.ri.o.rate

v.（动词）
de.te.ri.o.rat.ed,de.te.ri.o.rat.ing,de.te.ri.o.rates
v.tr.（及物动词）
To diminish or impair in quality, character, or value:
使恶化：损害或降低（质量，性质或价值）：
例句：
Time and neglect had deteriorated the property.
时间与忽视使特性恶化

v.intr.（不及物动词）
To grow worse; degenerate:
恶化：变得更坏；退化：
例句：
The weather deteriorated overnight. His health had deteriorated while he was in prison.
整个晚上，天气越来越糟。他在狱中时健康已经恶化了

To weaken or disintegrate; decay:
削弱或瓦解；衰退：
例句：
The nation`s highways are deteriorating at a rapid pace.
这个国家的高速公路正在迅速衰退

来源：
Late Latin dôteriôr3re dôteriôr3t-
后期拉丁语 dôteriôr3re dôteriôr3t-
from Latin dôterior [worse] * see de-
源自 拉丁语 dôterior [变坏] *参见 de-

【引伸】
dete.riora.tion
n.（名词）
dete.riora.tive
adj.（形容词）