動(dòng)詞 deteriorate:

1. become worse or disintegrate
2. grow worse
   同義詞：devolve, drop, degenerate

1. Food is apt to deteriorate in summer.
   食物在夏天容易變質(zhì)。
2. Relation between the two countries have deteriorated sharply in recent week.
   最近幾周那兩個(gè)國(guó)家間的關(guān)系嚴(yán)重惡化了。

de.te.ri.o.rate

v.（動(dòng)詞）
de.te.ri.o.rat.ed,de.te.ri.o.rat.ing,de.te.ri.o.rates
v.tr.（及物動(dòng)詞）
To diminish or impair in quality, character, or value:
使惡化：損害或降低（質(zhì)量，性質(zhì)或價(jià)值）：
例句：
Time and neglect had deteriorated the property.
時(shí)間與忽視使特性惡化

v.intr.（不及物動(dòng)詞）
To grow worse; degenerate:
惡化：變得更壞；退化：
例句：
The weather deteriorated overnight. His health had deteriorated while he was in prison.
整個(gè)晚上，天氣越來(lái)越糟。他在獄中時(shí)健康已經(jīng)惡化了

To weaken or disintegrate; decay:
削弱或瓦解；衰退：
例句：
The nation`s highways are deteriorating at a rapid pace.
這個(gè)國(guó)家的高速公路正在迅速衰退

來(lái)源：
Late Latin dôteriôr3re dôteriôr3t-
后期拉丁語(yǔ) dôteriôr3re dôteriôr3t-
from Latin dôterior [worse] * see de-
源自 拉丁語(yǔ) dôterior [變壞] *參見(jiàn) de-

【引伸】
dete.riora.tion
n.（名詞）
dete.riora.tive
adj.（形容詞）