rot

Universal Words verb, noun verb (-tt-) to decay, or make sth decay, naturally and gradually SYNDECOMPOSE: [V] rotting leaves / fruit * The window frame had rotted away completely. * (figurative) prisoners thrown in jail and left to rot * [VN] Too much sugar will rot your teeth. seealsoROTTEN noun [U] 1 the process or state of decaying and falling apart: The wood must not get damp as rot can quickly result. seealsoDRYROT 2 (the rot) used to describe the fact that a situation is getting worse: The rot set in last year when they reorganized the department. * The team should manage to stop the rot if they play well this week. 3 (old-fashioned, BrE) nonsense; silly things that sb says SYNRUBBISH: Don't talk such rot!