rot

views updated May 11 2018

rot / rät/ • v. (rot·ted, rot·ting) [intr.] (chiefly of animal or vegetable matter) decompose by the action of bacteria and fungi; decay: the chalets were neglected and their woodwork was rotting away. ∎ [tr.] cause to decay: caries sets in at a weak point and spreads to rot the whole tooth. ∎ fig. gradually deteriorate through lack of attention or opportunity: he cannot understand the way the education system has been allowed to rot.• n. 1. the process of decaying: the leaves were turning black with rot. ∎ rotten or decayed matter: she was busy cutting the rot from the potatoes. ∎ (the rot) a process of deterioration; a decline in standards: it was when they moved back to the family home that the rot set in. ∎ any of a number of fungal or bacterial diseases that cause tissue deterioration, esp. in plants.2. inf. nonsense; rubbish: don't talk rot.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

rot

views updated May 18 2018

rot the rot set in a rapid succession of (usually unaccountable) failures began; rot in cricket, a rapid fall of wickets during an innings. The term is recorded from the mid 19th century.

See also rotten, winter never rots in the sky.

The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable ELIZABETH KNOWLES

rot

views updated May 18 2018

rot undergo decay OE.; trans. XIV; in imprecations XVI. OE. rotian = OS. roton, MDu. roten, (also mod.) rotten, OHG. rōzzēn, rel. to MLG. röten, MHG. rœzen; cf. ROTTEN.
Hence (or — Scand.) sb. XIII.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

Rot

views updated May 11 2018

Rot

a file of six soldiers.

Examples : rot of musketeers, 1635; of pikemen, 1637.

Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms

rot

views updated May 18 2018

rot (rɒt) Maths., symbol for curl (of a function)

The Oxford Dictionary of Abbreviations FRAN ALEXANDER , PETER BLAIR , JOHN DAINTITH , ALICE GRANDISON , VALERIE ILLINGWORTH , ELIZABETH MARTIN , ANNE STIBBS , JUDY PEARSALL , and SARA TULLOCH