Modifying Another Word

• not: When it came to his turn Peter Taaffe implied that his one time leader and mentor was getting crusty, if not senile.

• too: The US defense secretary meant that the old continent had grown too senile to be able to confront threats.

• so: In 1829, three of the watch were so senile and infirm that they were incapable of performing their duties and were replaced.

• somewhat: His somewhat senile mind was striving for forgotten memories.

Modifies a noun

• dementia: She has senile dementia, doesn't know us, often calls him " Daddy " .

• plaque: Are they poisoned by substances around them, perhaps in senile plaques, the defining lesions of Alzheimer's?

• cataract: Senile cataracts almost always occur in both eyes simultaneously.

• degeneration: Senile macular degeneration was used as an example of a code expected to be found on a practice system.

• decay: Basically, they don't give a damn about losing a few months of senile decay.

• man: He was, in any case, a senile old man, who only partially understood the implications of collaboration.

Used with adjective complement

• go: Some were very hard to grasp - I may be going senile.

• become: The gods are old: they have become senile: it is time for them to die!

• get: Our unit also in effect took over management of the brewery in Hamelin; the old men left to run it were getting senile.

• grow: The US defense secretary meant that the old continent had grown too senile to be able to confront threats.