rust
/ɹʌst/ verb C2- To oxidize, especially of iron or steel. · The patio furniture had rusted in the wind-driven spray.
- To cause to oxidize. · The wind-driven spray had thoroughly rusted the patio furniture.
- To be affected with the parasitic fungus called rust.
- To (cause to) degenerate in idleness; to make or become dull or impaired by inaction. · My knowledge of Spanish has rusted over the years.
- Of a black cat or its fur, to turn rust-coloured following long periods of exposure to sunlight. · It's very common for black cats to rust during the summer.
He/she/it rusts · Past rusted · Past participle rusted · -ing form rusting
Verb forms
- Base form
- rust
- He/she/it
- rusts
- Past
- rusted
- Past participle
- rusted
- -ing form
- rusting
Phrasal verbs and expressions
From the library
“For,” he said, “if I should get caught in the rain, and rust again, I would need the oil-can badly.”
“I should certainly weep if you killed a poor deer, and then my jaws would rust again.”
“They are rusted so badly that I cannot move them at all; if I am well oiled I shall soon be all right again.
So she oiled it, and as it was quite badly rusted the Scarecrow took hold of the tin head and moved it gently from side to side until it worked freely, and then the man could turn it himself.
Other matches
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