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fester was our Word of the Day on 07/27/2017. Hear the podcast!
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Examples of fester in a Sentence
pus oozed out of the fester
Origin and Etymology of fester
Middle English, from Anglo-French festre, from Latin fistula pipe, fistulous ulcer
fester
Definition of fester
festered
;festering
play \ˈfe-st(ə-)riŋ\intransitive verb
1 : to generate pus The wound became inflamed and festered.
3a : to cause increasing poisoning, irritation, or bitterness : rankle dissent festered unchecked His resentment festered for years.b : to undergo or exist in a state of progressive deterioration allowed slums to fester
transitive verb
: to make inflamed or corrupt
Examples of fester in a Sentence
His wounds festered for days before he got medical attention.
His feelings of resentment have festered for years.
We should deal with these problems now instead of allowing them to fester.
Recent Examples of fester from the Web
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Moon’s proposal for talks with North Korea also builds on a lesson from history to not let problems fester.
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Rob Forth hunts where the disease has festered for decades, on land near his home north and east of Denver.
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This is what is left of ISIS' prize city in Iraq -- festering dead, a few hundred yards of territory and about 200 diehard militants awaiting a final standoff.
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And as the Jones P.R. crisis festered, her new colleagues at NBC appeared to be sucked into her latest headline.
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With bids due in November from three teams of finalists vying to build the bridge, the underlying political unrest over the project's impact on the Delray community could not be allowed to fester much longer.
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Spooky has since retired to the great litter box in the sky, leaving Buddy and Daisy behind to continue their festering urine feud.
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American’s move could contain a controversy that has festered for months, as the number of flight attendants complaining of wheezing, fatigue, skin rashes and other ailments grew to more than 3,500 and pilots also reported adverse reactions.
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VILLA PARK, Calif. -- A rat infestation continues to fester at an elementary school in Southern California, CBS Los Angeles reports.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fester.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
Fester first entered English as a noun in the early 14th century. It was originally used as we now use the word fistula, for an abnormal passage leading from an abscess or hollow organ and permitting passage of fluids or secretions. It later came to refer to a sore that discharges pus. The connection between "fester" and "fistula" is no accident - both descend from Latin fistula, which has the same meaning as the English word but can also mean "pipe" or "tube" or "a kind of ulcer." "Fester" made the trip from Latin to English by way of Anglo-French. By the end of the 14th century, it was also being used as a verb meaning "to generate pus," a use that has since developed extended senses implying a worsening state.
First Known Use of fester
14th century
FESTER Defined for English Language Learners
fester
Definition of fester for English Language Learners
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: to become painful and infected
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: to become worse as time passes
FESTER Defined for Kids
fester
playDefinition of fester for Students
festered
;festering
: to become painfully red and sore and usually full of pus The wound festered.
Medical Dictionary
fester
Medical Definition of fester
festered
;festering
\-t(ə-)riŋ\play: to generate pus
Learn More about fester
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See words that rhyme with fester Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for fester Spanish Central: Translation of fester Nglish: Translation of fester for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of fester for Arabic speakers
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