c. 1300, from a Scandinavian source akin to Old Norse rotinn "decayed," past participle of verb related to rotna "to decay," from Proto-Germanic stem *rut- (see rot (v.)). Sense of "corrupt" is from late 14c.; weakened sense of "bad" first recorded 1881. Rotten apple is from a saying traced back to at least 1528: "For one rotten apple lytell and lytell putrifieth an whole heape." The Rotten Row in London and elsewhere probably is from a different word, but of uncertain origin.
雙語例句
1. Police corruption is not just a few rotten apples.
警方的腐敗不僅僅是幾個害群之馬造成的。
來自柯林斯例句
2. Molly razzed me about my rotten sense of direction.
莫利笑話我糟糕的方向感。
來自柯林斯例句
3. They made the treacherous journey across stormy seas in rotten boats.
他們乘著破舊的小船穿越風大浪急的海面，完成了這次危險之旅。
來自柯林斯例句
4. It's a rotten play, so they can stick it.
這部劇糟透了，他們趁早拉倒吧。
來自柯林斯例句
5. The smell outside this building is overwhelming — like rotten eggs.