fester
Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
fester/ˈfestə(r)/
▶verb (often as adj. festering)
- 1 (of a wound or sore) become septic.
■ (of food or rubbish) become rotten.
- 2 (of a negative feeling or a problem) intensify, especially through neglect.
- 3 deteriorate physically and mentally in isolated inactivity.
– origin ME: from fester ‘fistula’, later ‘festering sore’, or OFr. festrir (v.), both from OFr. festre (n.), from L. fistula ‘reed, fistula’.
'fester' also found in these Oxford entries:
