rot

name

1. Abbreviation of refugee Olympics team (country code for the team).

noun

Etymology: Inherited from Middle English roten, rotten, from Old English rotian (“to rot, become corrupted, ulcerate, putrefy”), from Proto-West Germanic *rotēn, from Proto-Germanic *rutāną (“to rot”).

1. The process of becoming rotten; putrefaction.
2. Decaying matter.

   “When a turkey vulture detects the scent of rot, it circles down, tracing the plume of chemicals to its source.”

3. Any of several diseases in which breakdown of tissue occurs.

   “His cattle must of rot and murrain die.”

4. Verbal nonsense.

   “You're talking rot! I don't believe a word.”

verb

Etymology: Inherited from Middle English roten, rotten, from Old English rotian (“to rot, become corrupted, ulcerate, putrefy”), from Proto-West Germanic *rotēn, from Proto-Germanic *rutāną (“to rot”).

1. To suffer decomposition due to biological action, especially by fungi or bacteria.

   “The apple left in the cupboard all that time had started to rot.”

   “Fix'd like a plant on his peculiar spot, / To draw nutrition, propagate, and rot.”

2. To decline in function or utility.

   “Your brain will rot if you spend so much time on the computer, Tony!”

3. To (cause to) deteriorate in any way, as in morals; to corrupt.
4. To make putrid; to cause to be wholly or partially decomposed by natural processes.

   “to rot vegetable fiber”

5. To spend a long period of time (in an unpleasant place or state).

   “to rot in prison”

   “to rot in Hell”

6. To expose, as flax, to a process of maceration, etc., for the purpose of separating the fiber; to ret.
7. To talk nonsense.

   ““Did they hang you well?” said Porson. “Don’t rot,” said Mr Watkins; “I don’t like it.””

   “Adrian thought it worth while to try out his new slang. ‘I say, you fellows, here's a rum go. Old Biffo was jolly odd this morning. He gave me a lot of pi-jaw about slacking and then invited me to tea. No rotting! He did really.’”

8. Damn; blast.

   “"Oh rot yer!" exclaimed Fank, with a sudden flare of passion that at least carried with it the dignity of a genuine emotion; "I've had just abart enough of you and your blinkin' game, Toady Joolby. Here, I'd sooner smash the bloody thing, straight, than be such a ruddy mug as to swallow any of your blahsted promises […]"”