dry-rot

verb

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\ ˈdrī-ˌrät

dry-rotted; dry-rotting; dry-rots

Definition of dry-rot

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

: to affect with dry rot

intransitive verb

: to become affected with dry rot

dry rot

noun

Definition of dry rot (Entry 2 of 2)

1a : a decay of seasoned timber caused by fungi that consume the cellulose of wood leaving a soft skeleton which is readily reduced to powder

b : a fungal rot of plant tissue in which the affected areas are dry and often firmer than normal or more or less mummified

2 : a fungus causing dry rot

3 : decay from within caused especially by resistance to new forces

Examples of dry-rot in a Sentence

Noun The windowsill was badly damaged by dry rot. Dry rot had eaten away part of the beam.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Reduce the incidence of dry rot, which mummifies stored potatoes, by keeping the fleshy roots at 55 to 60 degrees. — The Editors, Good Housekeeping, "A Guide to Growing Sweet Potatoes in Your Backyard," 21 May 2020 But those bungee cords will dry rot, or simply wear out, over time. — Joseph Albanese, Outdoor Life, "6 Waterfowl Projects You Need to Do Before Opening Day," 28 May 2020 Donahue later discovered a decontamination tent destroyed by dry rot. — Jenn Abelson, Washington Post, "Boom-and-bust federal funding after 9/11 undercut hospitals’ preparedness for pandemics," 2 May 2020 This comes amid reports nationally that nearly 6,000 medical masks shipped from the national stockpile to Alabama had dry rot, and that faulty elastic on masks sent to Oregon also were unusable, according to the New York Times. — Detroit Free Press, "22,000 surgical masks sent to U-M from strategic national stockpile are unusable," 14 Apr. 2020 The wood sold nowadays is new growth that does not fare well when exposed to sun, rain, termites or dry rot. — Pat Kapowich, The Mercury News, "Sponsored: Don’t play the blame game over rotting fence posts; some simple steps can reinforce friendship and property values," 22 Aug. 2019 Soft spots may indicate wet or dry rot, especially if the floor above sags. — Jim Gorman, Popular Mechanics, "The DIY Home Inspection Checklist," 30 Mar. 2015

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dry-rot.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.