rot

/rɑt/
verb
  1. To decay or break down, especially due to bacteria, fungi, or age.
    • If you leave fruit out too long, it will rot.
    • The old wooden fence began to rot after years of rain.
    • The fallen leaves rotted on the forest floor, enriching the soil.
  2. To deteriorate or decline gradually, often in a moral or social sense.
    • He felt his skills rot from lack of practice.
    • Without proper care, the community began to rot as crime increased.
    • Corruption caused the government to rot from within.
noun
  1. The process or result of decaying; decayed matter.
    • The rot had spread through the entire apple.
    • The wood was full of dry rot and had to be replaced.
    • There was a smell of rot coming from the garbage bin.
  2. A gradual decline in quality, strength, or moral integrity.
    • He saw the moral rot in the society around him.
    • The rot had set in long before the scandal broke.
    • The rot in the company's leadership led to its downfall.
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