rust

American  

[ruhst] / rʌst /

noun

1. Also called iron rust.  the red or orange coating that forms on the surface of iron when exposed to air and moisture, consisting chiefly of ferric hydroxide and ferric oxide formed by oxidation.

2. any film or coating on metal caused by oxidation.

   Synonyms:

   corrosion

3. a stain resembling this coating.

4. any growth, habit, influence, or agency tending to injure, deteriorate, or impair the mind, character, abilities, usefulness, etc.

5. Plant Pathology.

   1. any of several diseases of plants, characterized by reddish, brownish, or black pustules on the leaves, stems, etc., caused by fungi of the order Uredinales.

   2. Also called rust fungus.  a fungus causing this disease.

   3. any of several other diseases of unknown cause, characterized by reddish-brown spots or discolorations on the affected parts.

6. reddish yellow, reddish brown, or yellowish red.

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verb (used without object)

1. to become or grow rusty, as iron.

2. to contract rust.

3. to deteriorate or become impaired, as through inaction or disuse.

   Synonyms:

   decline, decay

4. to become rust-colored.

verb (used with object)

1. to affect with rust.

2. to impair as if with rust.

3. to make rust-colored.

adjective

1. having the color rust.

verb phrase

1. rust out (of metal pipes, machinery, etc.) to decay and become unusable through the action of rust.

2. rust together to join two metal pieces, as iron pipes, by causing the joint to rust.

3. rust through to develop holes, breaks, or the like, because of rust.

rust British  

/ rʌst /

noun

1. a reddish-brown oxide coating formed on iron or steel by the action of oxygen and moisture

2. Also called: rust fungus.  plant pathol

   1. any basidiomycetous fungus of the order Uredinales , parasitic on cereal plants, conifers, etc

   2. any of various plant diseases characterized by reddish-brown discoloration of the leaves and stem, esp that caused by the rust fungi

3. 1. a strong brown colour, sometimes with a reddish or yellowish tinge

   2. ( as adjective )

      a rust carpet

4. any corrosive or debilitating influence, esp lack of use

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verb

1. to become or cause to become coated with a layer of rust

2. to deteriorate or cause to deteriorate through some debilitating influence or lack of use

   he allowed his talent to rust over the years

rust Scientific  

/ rŭst /

1. Any of the various reddish-brown oxides of iron that form on iron and many of its alloys when they are exposed to oxygen in the presence of moisture.

2. 1. Any of various basidiomycete fungi that are parasitic on plants and produce reddish or brownish spots on leaves. Rusts attack a wide variety of plants and can cause enormous damage to crops.

   2. Any of the various plant diseases caused by these fungi.

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1. To become corroded or oxidized.

Other Word Forms

• derust verb (used with object)
• rustless adjective
• unrust verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of rust

before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English rūst; cognate with German Rost; (v.) Middle English rusten, derivative of the noun; akin to red ¹

Example Sentences

“It needs a ton of work—even plastic rusts in Key West.”

From The Wall Street Journal

At 20 years old, jumping in my ’76 Monte Carlo with rust all over it and saying, “I’m going to drive to California to be an actor.”

From Los Angeles Times

He considers his internship a success, despite his "extremely dirty" task of sandblasting rust off ships, a job he says few Japanese on site were saddled with.

From Barron's

"I think it's sometimes a little bit harder when the person you're playing has already played a match, and then you're kind of trying to still knock off a bit of the rust," she said.

From Barron's

Naturally that means the risk versus reward of fixing rusting wells in an unstable country like Venezuela looks different.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• decay
• deteriorate
• wither