First Known Use: before 12th century
Dictionary
1rot
verb \ˈrät\
: to slowly decay or cause (something) to decay
rot·tedrot·ting
Full Definition of ROT
intransitive verb
1
a : to undergo decomposition from the action of bacteria or fungi b : to become unsound or weak (as from use or chemical action)
2
a : to go to ruin : deteriorate b : to become morally corrupt : degenerate
transitive verb
: to cause to decompose or deteriorate with or as if with rot
See rot defined for English-language learners
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Origin of ROT
Middle English roten, from Old English rotian; akin to Old High German rōzzēn to rot
Related to ROT
- Synonyms
- atrophy, crumble, decay, decline, degenerate, descend, devolve, ebb, regress, retrograde, deteriorate, sink, worsen
- Antonyms
- ameliorate, improve, meliorate
Synonym Discussion of ROT
decay, decompose, rot, putrefy, spoil mean to undergo destructive dissolution. decay implies a slow change from a state of soundness or perfection <a decaying mansion>. decompose stresses a breaking down by chemical change and when applied to organic matter a corruption <the strong odor of decomposing vegetation>. rot is a close synonym of decompose and often connotes foulness <fruit was left to rot in warehouses>. putrefy implies the rotting of animal matter and offensiveness to sight and smell <corpses putrefying on the battlefield>. spoil applies chiefly to the decomposition of foods <keep the ham from spoiling>.
2rot
noun
: the process of rotting or the condition that results when something rots
: foolish words or ideas
Full Definition of ROT
1
a : the process of rotting : the state of being rotten : decay b : something rotten or rotting
2
a archaic : a wasting putrescent disease b : any of several parasitic diseases especially of sheep marked by necrosis and wasting c : plant disease marked by breakdown of tissues and caused especially by fungi or bacteria
3
: nonsense —often used interjectionally
See rot defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of ROT
14th century
Related to ROT
- Synonyms
- applesauce [slang], balderdash, baloney (also boloney), beans, bilge, blah (also blah-blah), blarney, blather, blatherskite, blither, bosh, bull [slang], bunk, bunkum (or buncombe), claptrap, codswallop [British], crapola [slang], crock, drivel, drool, fiddle, fiddle-faddle, fiddlesticks, flannel [British], flapdoodle, folderol (also falderal), folly, foolishness, fudge, garbage, guff, hogwash, hokeypokey, hokum, hoodoo, hooey, horsefeathers [slang], humbug, humbuggery, jazz, malarkey (also malarky), moonshine, muck, nerts [slang], nuts, piffle, poppycock, punk, nonsense, rubbish, senselessness, silliness, slush, stupidity, taradiddle (or tarradiddle), tommyrot, tosh, trash, trumpery, twaddle
ROT Defined for Kids
1rot
verb \ˈrät\
rot·tedrot·ting
Definition of ROT for Kids
1
: to undergo decay
2
: to go to ruin <He was left to rot in jail.>
2rot
noun
Definition of ROT for Kids
1
: the process of decaying : the state of being decayed
2
: something that has decayed or is decaying
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