erode

Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

erode AW [erode erodes eroded eroding] BrE [ɪˈrəʊd] NAmE [ɪˈroʊd] verb often passive
1. transitive, intransitive to gradually destroy the surface of sth through the action of wind, rain, etc; to be gradually destroyed in this way
Syn: ↑wear away
•~ sth (away) The cliff face has been steadily eroded by the sea.
•~ (away) The rocks have eroded away over time.
2. transitive, intransitive ~ (sth) to gradually destroy sth or make it weaker over a period of time; to be destroyed or made weaker in this way
•Her confidence has been slowly eroded by repeated failures.
•Mortgage payments have been eroded (= decreased in value) by inflation.
Derived Word: ↑erosion
Verb forms:

Word Origin:
early 17th cent.: from French éroder or Latin erodere, from e- (variant of ex-) ‘out, away’ + rodere ‘gnaw’.

Example Bank:
•The distinction between social classes is slowly being eroded.
•The experience had seriously eroded his confidence in himself.
•The pressure towards uniformity that constantly threatens to erode local traditions.
•The river bank had been steadily eroded over the years.
•Walkers should stick to obvious paths, even if they are badly eroded.
•Without adequate protection from plants, the river banks began to erode.
•the commercial pressures that threaten to erode local traditions
•Price rises have eroded profit margins.
•We live in a world whose moral base has been eroded.

• Từ đồng nghĩa / Synonyms:
  eat away, fret, gnaw, gnaw at, eat at, wear away