Putrefy

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Putrefy \Pu"tre*fy\, v. t. [Written also putrify.] [imp. & p. p.
     {Putrefied}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Putrefying}.] [F. putr['e]fier;
     L. putrere to be rotten + -ficare (in. comp.) to make; cf. L.
     putrefacere. See {Putrid}, and {-fy}.]
     1. To render putrid; to cause to decay offensively; to cause
        to be decomposed; to cause to rot.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. To corrupt; to make foul.
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              Private suits do putrefy the public good. --Bacon.
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              They would but stink, and putrefy the air. --Shak.
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     3. To make morbid, carious, or gangrenous; as, to putrefy an
        ulcer or wound.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Putrefy \Pu"tre*fy\, v. i.
     To become putrid; to decay offensively; to rot. --Isa. 1. 6.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  putrefy
       v : become putrid; decay with an offensive smell; "organic
           matter putrefies"
       [also: {putrefied}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  31 Moby Thesaurus words for "putrefy":
     break down, break up, canker, corrupt, crumble, crumble into dust,
     decay, decompose, deteriorate, disintegrate, fall into decay,
     fall to pieces, fester, gangrene, go bad, go off, go to pieces,
     mildew, mold, molder, mortify, moulder, necrose, putresce, rankle,
     rot, sphacelate, spoil, suppurate, taint, turn