Waste Away

B1 8+

Pronunciation: /weɪst əˈweɪ/

Definitions of waste away

noun a gradual decline or deterioration

Example Sentences

A1 The doctor said the patient's waste away was due to lack of proper nutrition.

A2 She watched as the old building slowly began to waste away.

B1 The company's profits continued to waste away as competition increased.

B2 The once beautiful garden was now a sad sight, waste away from neglect.

C1 The artist's talent seemed to waste away as he grew older and more disillusioned.

C2 The once vibrant city was now a shadow of its former self, waste away by corruption and mismanagement.

verb to gradually become weaker or smaller over time

Example Sentences

A1 The fruit will waste away if you leave it out for too long.

A2 She wasted away after being stranded on the island for weeks.

B1 The old building is slowly wasting away due to neglect.

B2 Without proper care, the garden will waste away and become overgrown.

C1 The once thriving business began to waste away as competition increased.

C2 His health began to waste away as he neglected to take care of himself.

Examples of waste away in a Sentence

formal Without proper nutrition, the patient continued to waste away in the hospital.

informal If you keep skipping meals, you'll just waste away.

slang She's been so stressed lately, she looks like she's gonna waste away.

figurative His dreams of becoming a musician began to waste away as he focused on his day job.

Grammatical Forms of waste away

past tense

wasted away

plural

waste away

comparative

more wasted away

superlative

most wasted away

present tense

wastes away

future tense

will waste away

perfect tense

have wasted away

continuous tense

is wasting away

singular

wastes away

positive degree

waste away

infinitive

to waste away

gerund

wasting away

participle

wasted away

Origin and Evolution of waste away

First Known Use: 1250 year
Language of Origin: Middle English
Story behind the word: The phrase 'waste away' originated from Middle English, where 'waste' meant to diminish or consume gradually and 'away' indicated a direction or manner. It likely evolved from Old English and Old Norse influences.
Evolution of the word: Over time, 'waste away' has come to signify a gradual decline or deterioration of health, strength, or vitality, often due to neglect or lack of care. The phrase has evolved to encompass not just physical wasting, but also emotional or mental decline.