好词典
crumbling
UK //ˈkrʌm.blɪŋ//US //ˈkrʌm.blɪŋ//
词源
源自中古英语 cromelen，与古英语 crymel（碎屑）相关，拟声词演变而来，模仿物体碎裂时的声响。
adjective
❶ 形容物体因老化或损坏而逐渐破碎、剥落的状态，常用于描述建筑、岩石等硬质材料的衰败过程。
“The old castle walls were crumbling after centuries of neglect.”
（古老的城堡城墙因年久失修而逐渐崩塌。）
“She brushed away the crumbling plaster from the windowsill.”
（她拂去窗台上剥落的灰泥碎屑。）
同义词:disintegrating, decaying, eroding
verb
❶ 指物体逐渐破碎或瓦解的动作过程，也可比喻制度、关系等抽象事物的衰退。
“The ancient manuscript was crumbling to dust in the library.”
（这份古老手稿正在图书馆里逐渐化为尘埃。）
“Their marriage started crumbling after the financial crisis.”
（他们的婚姻在经济危机后开始破裂。）
同义词:breaking apart, collapsing, deteriorating
常见短语
crumbling away — 描述某物持续且不可逆地逐渐消失或分解的过程，常带有惋惜意味。
“The historic frescoes are crumbling away due to humidity.”
（因潮湿问题，这些历史壁画正在逐渐剥落消失。）
crumbling infrastructure — 特指年久失修的道路、桥梁等公共设施的老化状态，常见于社会议题讨论。
“The city council debated how to fix the crumbling infrastructure.”
（市议会就如何修缮老化基础设施展开辩论。）