rot
rot — verb
- rotpresent simple I / you / we / they
- rotshe / she / it
- rottedpast simple
- rotting-ing form
1. to break down and be destroyed through natural processes involving damp, bacteri
to break down and be destroyed through natural processes involving damp, bacteria, or fungi; also, to make organic matter break down in this way
The wooden fence post rotted through after five wet winters.
intransitive: something rots
Emre found a sack of potatoes rotting in the back of the cupboard.
Too much water will rot the roots of your tomato plants.
The abandoned barn's wooden beams had rotted and become unsafe to walk on.
If you leave wet towels in a pile, they start to rot within days.
- decay
more formal; used for both organic and inorganic breakdown
- decompose
scientific term for biological breakdown
- spoil
used specifically for food becoming inedible
- deteriorate
broader term for gradual loss of quality, not necessarily biological
文法句型
something rots
something rots something
用法筆記
Frequently intransitive. The transitive use is less common and typically describes moisture or conditions causing organic matter to break down.
常見錯誤
rot — noun
1. the natural process by which something breaks down and is destroyed, especially
the natural process by which something breaks down and is destroyed, especially through damp, bacteria, or fungi; also, the damaged or decayed parts themselves
Dry rot had eaten through the floorboards of the rented cottage.
collocation: dry rot
Antonia noticed patches of rot spreading across the window frame.
The dentist spotted early signs of tooth rot in three of Min's molars.
A thick smell of rot drifted up from the forgotten compost bin.
Hugo cut away the rot before repairing the old garden shed.
- decay
more formal and broader in scope
- decomposition
scientific term, especially in biology
- putrefaction
formal term emphasising foul smell from decay
- preservation
the act of keeping something from decaying
2. something said or written that is completely untrue, silly, or stupid; nonsense
something said or written that is completely untrue, silly, or stupid; nonsense spoken with confidence
Pim said the new company policy was absolute rot and the whole team agreed.
collocation: absolute rot
'The earth is flat — what complete rot!' Meera laughed out loud.
Nicholas dismissed the newspaper article as total rot from start to finish.
Fumiko told the class that whales could fly, and the teacher called it absolute rot.
用法筆記
Informal and chiefly British. Used to dismiss something as ridiculous or obviously false. Common in phrases like 'talk rot' or 'absolute rot.'