A degenerative illness is one that slowly gets worse and, as things stand, cannot be turned around. A joint, a nerve, or the brain keeps losing what it can do, over months or years — not a cold that comes and goes.

A degenerative illness退化性疾病 is是指 one that slowly gets worse一種會慢慢惡化的病 and, as things stand,而且就目前來說， cannot be turned around.沒辦法逆轉。A joint, a nerve, or the brain關節、神經，或腦部 keeps losing what it can do,會持續失去原本的功能， over months or years歷經好幾個月或好幾年 — not a cold that comes and goes.——不像感冒那樣來了又走。

Wear-and-tear arthritis and some nerve and brain illnesses are talked about this way. The word is almost always medical; you would not call a bad habit degenerative in careful speech, though a newspaper might stretch it.

Wear-and-tear arthritis退化性關節炎 and some nerve and brain illnesses和一些神經、腦部疾病 are talked about this way.就是用這個方式來說的。The word is almost always medical;這個字幾乎都是用在醫學上； you would not call a bad habit degenerative in careful speech,在正式一點的說法裡不會把一個壞習慣叫做degenerative， though a newspaper might stretch it.雖然新聞報導可能會把它引申來用。

Though actually, "cannot be stopped" is the tidy picture in the dictionary: some treatments can slow the slide, and researchers keep trying, but the name still tells you the usual direction — downhill, little by little.

Though actually,不過其實， "cannot be stopped""cannot be stopped"「沒辦法阻止」 is the tidy picture in the dictionary:是字典裡簡化的說法： some treatments can slow the slide,有些治療可以放慢惡化的速度， and researchers keep trying,研究人員也一直在努力， but the name still tells you the usual direction但這個字還是告訴你通常的走向 — downhill, little by little.——一點一點走下坡。