Deteriorating

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Deteriorate \De*te"ri*o*rate\ (d[-e]*t[=e]"r[i^]*[-o]*r[=a]t),
     v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Deteriorated}
     (d[-e]*t[=e]"r[i^]*[-o]*r[=a]`t[e^]d); p. pr. & vb. n.
     {Deteriorating} (d[-e]*t[=e]"r[i^]*[-o]*r[=a]`t[i^]ng).] [L.
     deterioratus, p. p. of deteriorare 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.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           The art of war . . . was greatly deteriorated.
                                                    --Southey.
     [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  deteriorating \deteriorating\ adj.
     going from better to worse.
  
     Syn: declining, failing, regressing, retrograde,
          retrogressive.
          [WordNet 1.5]