2. To expose, as flax, to a process of maceration, etc., for
the purpose of separating the fiber; to ret.
2. (Bot.) A disease or decay in fruits, leaves, or wood,
supposed to be caused by minute fungi. See {Bitter rot},
{Black rot}, etc., below.
3. [Cf. G. rotz glanders.] A fatal distemper which attacks
sheep and sometimes other animals. It is due to the
presence of a parasitic worm in the liver or gall bladder.
See 1st {Fluke}, 2.
His cattle must of rot and murrain die. --Milton.
{Bitter rot} (Bot.), a disease of apples, caused by the
fungus {Gl[ae]osporium fructigenum}. --F. L. Scribner.
{Black rot} (Bot.), a disease of grapevines, attacking the
leaves and fruit, caused by the fungus {L[ae]stadia
Bidwellii}. --F. L. Scribner.
{Dry rot} (Bot.) See under {Dry}.
{Grinder's rot} (Med.) See under {Grinder}.
{Potato rot}. (Bot.) See under {Potato}.
{White rot} (Bot.), a disease of grapes, first appearing in
whitish pustules on the fruit, caused by the fungus
{Coniothyrium diplodiella}. --F. L. Scribner.
Fixed like a plant on his peculiar spot, To draw
nutrition, propagate, and rot. --Pope.
2. Figuratively: To perish slowly; to decay; to die; to
become corrupt.
Four of the sufferers were left to rot in irons.
--Macaulay.
Rot, poor bachelor, in your club. --Thackeray.
Syn: To putrefy; corrupt; decay; spoil.