the process whereby heavy molecules of naphtha or petroleum are broken down into hydrocarbons of lower molecular weight (especially in the oil-refining process)
causing injury or blight; especially affecting with sudden violence or plague or ruin; "the blasting effects of the intense cold on the budding fruit"; "the blasting force of the wind blowing sharp needles of sleet in our faces"; "a ruinous war"
(law) an explanation of the fundamental reasons (especially an explanation of the working of some device in terms of laws of nature); "the rationale for capital punishment"; "the principles of internal-combustion engines"
an explanation of something that is not immediately obvious; "the edict was subject to many interpretations"; "he annoyed us with his interpreting of parables"; "often imitations are extended to provide a more accurate rendition of the child's intended meaning"
a mental representation of the meaning or significance of something
an explanation that results from interpreting something; "the report included his interpretation of the forensic evidence"
a person who has fallen into a decadent state (morally or artistically)
marked by excessive self-indulgence and moral decay; "a decadent life of excessive money and no sense of responsibility"; "a group of effete self-professed intellectuals"