deteriorate

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English

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Late Latin dēteriorātus, past participle of Late Latin dēteriorō, derivative of Latin dēterior (worse).

Pronunciation

Verb

deteriorate (third-person singular simple present deteriorates, present participle deteriorating, simple past and past participle deteriorated)

  1. (transitive) To make worse; to make inferior in quality or value; to impair.
    to deteriorate the mind
    • 1829, Robert Southey, “(please specify the page)”, in Sir Thomas More: or, Colloquies on the Progress and Prospects of Society. , volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: John Murray, , →OCLC:
      The art of war, like every other art, ecclesiastical architecture alone excepted, was greatly deteriorated during those years of general degradation []
  2. (intransitive) To grow worse; to be impaired in quality; to degenerate.
    • 1947 January and February, O. S. Nock, “"The Aberdonian" in Wartime”, in Railway Magazine, page 7:
      During this fine run through Fife the weather had deteriorated rapidly, and as we passed Wormit and came onto the Tay Bridge heavy rain clouds were piled over the sea.
    • 2011 January 8, Paul Fletcher, “Stevenage 3 - 1 Newcastle”, in BBC:
      It was turning into an abysmal afternoon for Newcastle and it deteriorated further when Tiote saw red for his challenge on Jon Ashton.

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Translations

Italian

Etymology 1

Adjective

deteriorate

  1. feminine plural of deteriorato

Participle

deteriorate f pl

  1. feminine plural of deteriorato

Etymology 2

Verb

deteriorate

  1. inflection of deteriorare:
    1. second-person plural present indicative
    2. second-person plural imperative

Spanish

Verb

deteriorate

  1. second-person singular voseo imperative of deteriorar combined with te