rot
gb/ɹˈɑt/ us/ɹˈɑt/
B1
English
~ 9300
rothad, korhad, rothaszt, elkorhaszt, sínylődik, rohad, rothadás, bomlás, enyészet, korhadás, hülyeség, marhaság, belülről bomlaszt, megmérgez, Badarság!, Hülyeség!, Ugyan már!
VERB
B1
1
Usage pattern:
[something] rots
If you leave the strawberries out on the counter, they will rot within a few days.
Ha kint hagyod az epret a konyhapulton, néhány napon belül megrothad.
The wooden beams had rotted after years of exposure to rain.
A fagerendák elkorhadtak, miután évekig érte őket az eső.
A bad smell told us that something was rotting under the floorboards.
Without proper dental care, your teeth can rot over time.
Learner examples
The apples are old and starting to rot.
Az almák már nem frissek, és kezdenek rothadni.
The tree trunk rotted after many wet winters.
A fatörzs elkorhadt a sok nedves tél után.
Meat rots quickly if it is not kept cold.
They found a bird that had rotted in the hot sun.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"the food became rot"* instead of *"the food rotted"*. Use the verb form *rot/rotted* for the action, and the noun *rot* for the thing or state, as in *"There was rot in the wood."*
Meaning
Decay or decompose naturally
Collocations
food rots
|fruit rots
|wood rots
|teeth rot
|the body rots
|garbage rots
Synonyms
decay (Slightly more formal and scientific; often used for both physical and moral decline.)
Antonyms
preserve (Means to keep something from decaying or going bad.)
Themes
nature
|science
|food
|health
Definition
To slowly break down and go bad, like old food, wood, or a dead animal.
To decay or decompose, especially of organic matter such as food, wood, or flesh, usually because of bacteria, fungi, or moisture.
VERB
B2
2
rothaszt
B2
elkorhaszt
B2
Usage pattern:
to rot [something]
Constant leaks had rotted the wooden floor under the sink.
Az állandó szivárgások elkorhasztották a mosogató alatti fapadlót.
The salty air slowly rots the metal on seaside houses.
A sós levegő lassan korrodálja a tengerparti házak fémrészeit.
Leaving wet leaves on the grass can rot the lawn.
The infection had rotted the tissue around the wound.
Learner examples
Water can rot the wood of a house.
A víz elkorhaszthatja egy ház faanyagát.
The rain rotted their old tent.
Az eső elrothasztotta a régi sátrukat.
Bad teeth can rot the bone in your jaw.
Moist air rots the clothes in the closet.
Common mistake:
Learners may use *"destroy"* instead of *"rot"* for slow damage from moisture or time. Use *rot* when the breaking down is slow and often natural, especially with wood, fabric, or food.
Meaning
Make something decay or decompose
Collocations
moisture rots wood
|damp rots the floorboards
|standing water rots the foundation
|rain rotted the fence
|the humidity rotted the books
Synonyms
decompose (More technical; often used in scientific contexts about materials or waste.)
Antonyms
protect (Focuses on preventing damage or decay from happening.)
Themes
nature
|construction
|daily_life
|science
Definition
To make something slowly break down and go bad.
To cause something, especially organic material, to decay or decompose.
VERB
B2
3
Usage pattern:
to rot in [a place]
He spent ten years rotting in prison for a crime he did not commit.
Tíz évet sínylődött börtönben egy olyan bűncselekményért, amelyet nem is követett el.
I feel like my brain is rotting from watching so much mindless television.
Úgy érzem, elrohad az agyam attól, hogy ennyi értelmetlen tévéműsort nézek.
They left the old man to rot in a care home, rarely visiting him.
She refused to rot away in a dead-end job and finally quit.
Learner examples
He does nothing all day and just rots in front of the TV.
Egész nap nem csinál semmit, csak rohad a tévé előtt.
The prisoners rot in small, dirty cells.
A rabok kicsi, koszos cellákban sínylődnek.
I don’t want to rot in this office all my life.
She said, "Let him rot in jail for what he did."
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes take this sense too literally and use it for any kind of staying, e.g. *"I will rot at home tonight"* when they just mean *stay at home*. Use *rot* here only when you want to stress that the situation is bad and slowly harming someone.
Meaning
Waste away in bad conditions
Collocations
rot in jail
|rot in prison
|rot in hell
|rot at home
|mind rots
|brain is rotting
Synonyms
languish (More formal; emphasizes suffering and lack of progress in a bad situation.)
Antonyms
thrive (Suggests being active, healthy, and doing very well instead of slowly getting worse.)
Themes
crime
|emotions
|society
|health
Definition
To stay in a bad place or situation for a long time and slowly become worse.
To stay for a long time in an unpleasant or inactive situation and gradually become weaker, less healthy, or more unhappy.
NOUN
B2
4
There was serious rot in the wooden window frames.
Súlyos korhadás volt a fa ablakkeretekben.
The inspector found rot in the roof beams and recommended immediate repairs.
Az ellenőr korhadást talált a tetőgerendákban, és azonnali javítást javasolt.
The sweet smell of rot hung in the abandoned house.
We had to cut away the rot before repainting the door.
Learner examples
The wood has rot in the middle.
A fa közepén korhadás van.
We must fix the rot before the house falls down.
Ki kell javítanunk a korhadt részeket, mielőtt a ház összedől.
He cleaned the rot from the old fruit box.
The doctor saw rot in the dead tissue.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"a rot"* for this sense. Usually *rot* is uncountable: *"There is rot in the wood"*, not *"There is a rot in the wood."*
Meaning
State or process of decomposition
Collocations
signs of rot
|wood rot
|to prevent rot
|to remove rot
|soft with rot
|smell of rot
Synonyms
decay (Very close in meaning; a bit more formal and common in scientific or technical contexts.)
Antonyms
soundness (Used especially for wood or structures that are solid and not damaged by rot.)
Themes
nature
|construction
|health
|science
Definition
The condition of something that is decaying or has decayed, like soft, damaged, or bad-smelling parts.
The process and result of decay or decomposition, especially in organic matter such as wood, food, or flesh.
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
5
What a load of rot! You know that story isn’t true.
Ez egy nagy rakás hülyeség! Te is tudod, hogy ez a történet nem igaz.
His article is absolute rot from beginning to end.
A cikke az elejétől a végéig kész hülyeség.
Don’t talk such rot; you know you can pass the exam if you try.
She dismissed the rumors as pure rot.
Learner examples
That idea is complete rot.
Az az ötlet teljes hülyeség.
He talks rot when he is angry.
Hülyeségeket beszél, amikor mérges.
She said the report was a load of rot.
I don’t believe that rot about him being a hero.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this noun with the verb and say *"He is rotting"* when they mean *"He is talking rot"*. Use the noun *rot* after verbs like *talk*, *believe*, or *be* when you mean *nonsense*.
Meaning
Nonsense; something foolish or untrue
Collocations
a load of rot
|utter rot
|complete rot
|talk rot
|believe that rot
|filled with rot
Synonyms
nonsense (The most common neutral word; *rot* is more informal and often BrE.)
Antonyms
truth (Direct opposite when *rot* is used for ideas that are not true.)
Themes
language
|opinions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Stupid or untrue ideas or words; nonsense.
Something that is foolish, untrue, or not worth taking seriously; nonsense.
NOUN
C1
TECHNICAL
6
Overwatering can lead to root rot in houseplants.
A túlöntözés gyökérrothadáshoz vezethet a szobanövényeknél.
The farmer lost much of the crop to a type of stem rot.
A gazda a termés nagy részét egyfajta szárrothadás miatt vesztette el.
An expert confirmed that the beams were damaged by dry rot.
The apples showed signs of brown rot after the wet summer.
Learner examples
The plant died because of root rot.
A növény gyökérrothadás miatt pusztult el.
We must cut away the rot from the tree.
El kell távolítanunk a korhadt részt a fáról.
Dry rot can make a house unsafe.
They treated the wood to stop rot.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that *rot* here names a specific disease, not just general damage. In gardening or building texts, *rot* often refers to a particular diagnosed problem, like *root rot* or *dry rot*.
Meaning
Plant or wood decay disease
Collocations
root rot
|stem rot
|crown rot
|brown rot
|potato rot
|dry rot
Synonyms
blight (A general word for plant diseases; not all blight is rot, but both damage plants.)
Antonyms
healthy growth (Describes plants or wood without disease or decay.)
Themes
science
|agriculture
|construction
|nature
Definition
A problem in plants or wood where part of it becomes soft and breaks down because of disease.
A disease of plants or wood in which tissue decomposes and breaks down, often caused by fungi or bacteria.
VERB
C1
LITERARY
7
megmérgez
B2
Usage pattern:
[something] rots [something] from the inside
They warned that unchecked corruption would rot the country from within.
Arra figyelmeztettek, hogy a megfékezetlen korrupció belülről bomlasztaná az országot.
Fear and distrust had slowly rotted the team’s spirit.
A félelem és a bizalmatlanság lassan megmérgezte a csapatszellemet.
The novel shows how power can rot even the kindest person.
A sense of hopelessness seemed to rot the community over the years.
Learner examples
Corruption can rot a country from the inside.
A korrupció belülről bomlaszthat egy országot.
Lies slowly rot a relationship.
A hazugságok lassan megmérgeznek egy kapcsolatot.
Greed can rot a good company.
Hatred will rot your heart if you keep it.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *rot* literally in contexts where a metaphor is expected, or choose *spoil* instead. *Rot* here is quite strong and literary, often talking about corruption in society, politics, or character.
Meaning
Corrupt or weaken from within
Collocations
rot from within
|rot from the inside
|corruption rots the system
|greed rots society
|moral values rot
|a culture rotted by fear
Synonyms
corrupt (Focuses on making someone or something morally bad; *rot* is more vivid and metaphorical.)
Antonyms
strengthen (Describes making a system or character stronger instead of weakening it.)
Themes
society
|politics
|ethics
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To slowly make something, like a system or a person’s character, bad or weak from the inside.
To gradually weaken, damage, or corrupt something, especially from within, in a way that is compared to physical decay.
C2
ARCHAIC
8
“You’ll never manage it,” he said. “Rot,” she answered, “I’ll be fine.”
– Sosem fog sikerülni – mondta. – Badarság – felelte a lány –, jól leszek.
“He did it for love.” “Rot! He did it for the money.”
– Szerelemből tette. – Badarság! A pénzért tette.
“Rot,” he muttered, unwilling to listen to another excuse.
Learner examples
“Rot,” she said, “that story is not true.”
– Badarság – mondta a lány –, ez a történet nem igaz.
He shouted, “Rot! I don’t believe you.”
– Hülyeség! Nem hiszek neked! – kiáltotta.
“Rot,” the old man replied, “you are just lazy.”
Common mistake:
This use is old-fashioned and mainly seen in older British books. Learners sometimes try to use it in modern speech, where it can sound strange or humorous. In current English, people usually say *“Nonsense!”* or *“That’s rubbish!”* instead.
Meaning
Exclamation meaning “nonsense!”
Collocations
Rot, I don’t believe it!
|Oh, rot!
|Rot to that idea
Synonyms
nonsense (Used as an exclamation with similar meaning; more common in modern English.)
Antonyms
exactly (As an exclamation, it agrees strongly instead of rejecting what was said.)
Themes
language
|emotions
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Definition
An old-fashioned shout used to say that something is nonsense.
An exclamation used to dismiss what someone has said as nonsense, foolish, or not worth believing.
Grammar
Dictionary form
rot
IPA
GB/ɹˈɑt/
US/ɹˈɑt/
Syllables & stress
rot (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (rot)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: rot
- Plural: rot, rots
Verb
- Base: rot
- 3rd Person Singular: rots
- Present Participle: rotting
- Past: rotted
Word family
Forms
rots
noun
rotting
verb
rotted
verb
Core family
rotten
adjective A2
Related words
rottenness
noun
Highlights
- Irregular present participle: rotting Verb
- Irregular past: rotted Verb
Expressions
a load of rot
11/ə lˈoʊd əv ɹˈɑt/
fixed phrase
informal
A lot of nonsense
Used to say that something is complete nonsense and not worth believing.
Examples
- That article is a load of rot; don’t believe a word of it.
- What he said about quitting school being smart is a load of rot.
dry rot
2/dɹˈaɪ ɹˈɑt/
fixed phrase
technical
Fungal decay of dry wood
A serious problem where a fungus destroys dry wood, often in buildings.
Examples
- The survey showed extensive dry rot in the floorboards.
- They had to replace the whole staircase because of dry rot.
rot away
1/ɹˈɑt əwˈeɪ/
phrasal verb
Decay until almost gone
To slowly decay until most or all of something is gone.
Examples
- The old pier has rotted away and is now just a few posts in the water.
- If you leave that car in the field, it will simply rot away.
rot in hell
7/ɹˈɑt ˈɪn hˈɛl/
fixed phrase
vulgar
Curse wishing eternal suffering
A very strong and rude way to say that you hope someone suffers forever, especially after death.
Examples
- “I hope you rot in hell,” she shouted as he was taken away.
- The message simply said, “Rot in hell for what you did.”
rot off
4/ɹˈɑt ˈɔf/
phrasal verb
Break off due to decay
To break away from something because the material has decayed.
Examples
- The bottom of the door had rotted off after years of getting wet.
- Several branches had rotted off in the storm.
stop the rot
8/stˈɑp ðə ɹˈɑt/
idiom
Stop a situation getting worse
To take action so that a bad situation does not continue or become even worse.
Examples
- The company needs a new strategy to stop the rot after three years of losses.
- A quick goal after half-time helped stop the rot for the home team.
talk rot
10/tˈɔk ɹˈɑt/
fixed phrase
informal
Say foolish or untrue things
To say things that are foolish, not true, or not sensible.
Examples
- You’re talking rot if you think this plan will work.
- He always talks rot when he’s drunk.
the rot sets in
9/ðə ɹˈɑt sˈɛts ˈɪn/
idiom
Point when decline begins
Used when a situation starts to become bad and then usually continues to get worse.
Examples
- The team lost one game and then the rot set in; they didn’t win again all season.
- This is where the rot sets in, if we don’t deal with the problem now.
wet rot
3/wˈɛt ɹˈɑt/
fixed phrase
technical
Fungal decay of damp wood
A problem where a fungus destroys wood that stays wet or very damp.
Examples
- The window frames suffered from wet rot due to years of leaking rainwater.
- Wet rot had spread along the base of the wall.
rot in jail
5/ɹˈɑt ˈɪn d͡ʒˈeɪl/
idiom
informal
spend long time in jail
To stay in jail for a very long time, usually in bad conditions and with no hope of leaving soon.
Examples
- The judge said he hoped the killer would rot in jail.
- They are afraid their son will rot in jail if the law does not change.
- Many political prisoners are left to rot in jail for years.
rot in jail
6/ɹˈɑt ˈɪn d͡ʒˈeɪl/
idiom
informal
Suffer in jail for years
To stay in jail for a very long time and suffer there, often used when someone strongly wishes this to happen to a criminal.
Examples
- He deserves to rot in jail for what he did to those children.
- The judge told him he would rot in jail if he ever broke the law again.