rusting

rust  (rst)

n.

1. Any of various powdery or scaly reddish-brown or reddish-yellow hydrated ferric oxides formed on iron and iron-containing materials by low-temperature oxidation in the presence of water.

2. Any of various metallic coatings, especially oxides, formed by corrosion.

3. A stain or coating resembling iron rust.

4. Deterioration, as of ability, resulting from inactivity or neglect.

5. Botany

a. Rust fungus.

b. A plant disease caused by a rust fungus, characterized by reddish or brownish spots on leaves, stems, and other parts.

6. A strong brown.

v. rust·ed, rust·ing, rusts

v.intr.

1. To become corroded.

2. To deteriorate or degenerate through inactivity or neglect.

3. To become the color of rust.

4. Botany To develop a disease caused by a rust fungus.

v.tr.

1. To corrode or subject (a metal) to rust formation.

2. To impair or spoil, as by misuse or inactivity.

3. To color (something) a strong brown.

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[Middle English, from Old English rst; see reudh- in Indo-European roots.]

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rust adj.

rusta·ble adj.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

rusting - the formation of reddish-brown ferric oxides on iron by low-temperature oxidation in the presence of water rust corroding, corrosion, erosion - erosion by chemical action oxidation, oxidisation, oxidization - the process of oxidizing; the addition of oxygen to a compound with a loss of electrons; always occurs accompanied by reduction ferric oxide - a red oxide of iron