verb
rot
rot
verb
1
To decay or break down through the action of bacteria or fungi.
"The fallen apples were left to rot in the orchard."
"Damp wood will rot if it isn't treated."
2
To decline gradually in condition, quality, or morale.
"He felt his ambition rot away after years in the same dead-end job."
noun
1
The process of decaying, or the decayed matter itself.
"There's rot in the window frame that needs replacing."
2
Nonsense; foolish talk (informal, chiefly British).
"Don't talk rot — of course it'll work."
How to Use Rot
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo decay physically, or (informally, especially in British English) rubbish/nonsense as a noun.
When to use it
"Rot" meaning nonsense ("what rot!") is dated/informal British usage, rarely heard in American English.
Common pairings
start to rot
wet rot
dry rot
talk rot
Word Forms
rotted past tense, rots plural, rots singular
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The fallen apples were left to _____ in the orchard.
Etymology
From Old English rotian, "to rot or become corrupted," going back to a Proto-Germanic root meaning the same.