
rot
词源
源自古英语 rotian,与古诺尔斯语 rotna 同源,原始日耳曼语词根 *rutōną,可能与拉丁语 rudus(碎石)有关,最初描述物质的破碎分解过程。
verb
❶ 指有机物因细菌或真菌作用而逐渐分解变质,常用于描述食物、木材等自然物质的腐败过程。
“The fallen leaves began to rot on the damp ground.”
(落叶在潮湿的地面上开始腐烂。)
“If you leave the fruit out too long, it will rot.”
(水果放太久会烂掉。)
❶ 比喻事物逐渐恶化或衰败,可用于描述社会、制度或道德等抽象概念的腐朽。
“Corruption caused the government to rot from within.”
(腐败使政府从内部开始腐朽。)
“The prison system is rotting due to overcrowding.”
(监狱系统因过度拥挤而日益恶化。)
noun
❶ 物质腐烂的状态或过程,也指腐烂的产物或造成的损害。
“The tree trunk was full of rot.”
(树干内部已经腐烂。)
“Dry rot had spread through the floorboards.”
(干腐病已蔓延到地板中。)
❶ 比喻道德败坏或社会腐败的现象,带有强烈贬义。
“The film exposes the rot at the heart of the political system.”
(这部电影揭露了政治制度核心的腐败。)
“We must stop the rot before it spreads further.”
(我们必须阻止腐败进一步蔓延。)
常见短语
stop the rot — 阻止情况继续恶化,常用于需要及时干预的负面趋势或问题。
“The new manager was brought in to stop the rot in the department.”
(新经理被调来阻止部门情况继续恶化。)
rot away — 逐渐腐烂或衰败,强调随时间推移的持续恶化过程。
“The old pier is rotting away into the sea.”
(旧码头正逐渐腐烂塌入海中。)