From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcorrodecor‧rode /kəˈrəʊd $ -ˈroʊd/ verb [intransitive, transitive] 1 HCMDECAYif metal corrodes, or if something corrodes it, it is slowly destroyed by the effect of water, chemicals etc Acidic water will corrode the pipes.2 written to gradually make something weaker or destroy it completely Corruption has corroded our confidence in the police force.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
corrode• By the time they found the wreckage of the plane, it had already started to corrode.• It's not been in the water long enough to corrode.• The system would corrode and crumble.• The Hmong with whom they worked had radio equipment that was corroded, antique, unserviceable.• We think she corroded for only a matter of weeks before being colonised.• It was in a brass frame, corroded from the steam of coffee and spilled Cokes.• Beyond the stadium were the corroding hulks of the Bronx.• The pipework was badly corroded in places.• Salt corrodes metal.• Acid can corrode most metals.• Theserevelations corrode public faith in democracy.• If the batteries leak, they can corrode the case of your flashlight.• So the sewage goes septic, giving off hydrogen sulphide which corrodes the pipes and makes a nasty smell.• Over the years, rain, wind, and sun had corroded the statue, turning the bronze a bright green.• Acid rain has corroded the statue.Origin corrode (1300-1400) Latin corrodere “to eat away”, from com- ( → COM-) + rodere ( → RODENT) 