dilapidate

/di'læpideit/

Friendly

Word: Dilapidate

Part of Speech: Verb

Meaning: To fall into decay or ruin, especially because it has not been taken care of. When something dilapidates, it becomes old, broken, or in bad condition due to neglect or misuse.

Usage Instructions:

• Use "dilapidate" when talking about buildings, objects, or even situations that are falling apart because they are not being cared for.
• It’s often used in a formal context.

Example:

• "The old school building had started to dilapidate after years of being unoccupied."

Advanced Usage:

• You can also use "dilapidate" in a more figurative sense, such as when a person's health or relationships start to deteriorate due to neglect.

Word Variants:

• Dilapidation (noun): The state of being dilapidated or falling apart.
  • Example: "The dilapidation of the historic mansion was evident in its crumbling walls."
• Dilapidated (adjective): Describing something that is in a state of disrepair.
  • Example: "They decided to renovate the dilapidated house."

Different Meanings:

While "dilapidate" primarily refers to physical decay, it can also imply a decline in other areas, such as: - Mental state: A person's mental health can dilapidate if not cared for. - Social relationships: Friendships can dilapidate if they are neglected.

Synonyms:

• Decay
• Deteriorate
• Ruin
• Decompose
• Breakdown

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• There aren’t specific idioms or phrasal verbs directly linked to "dilapidate," but you might come across phrases like "fall into disrepair," which means to become dilapidated.

Summary:

In summary, "dilapidate" is a verb that describes the process of falling into a state of decay or ruin due to neglect.

Academic

Verb

1. fall into decay or ruin
   • The unoccupied house started to decay
2. bring into a condition of decay or partial ruin by neglect or misuse

Synonyms

• decay
• crumble