Putrefy

• POS: Verb (usu participle)
• HYPHEN: pu=tre=fy

CIDE DICTIONARY

Putrefy, v. t. [F. putréfier; L. putrere to be rotten + -ficare (in. comp.) to make; cf. L. putrefacere. See Putrid, and -fy.].

•  To render putrid; to cause to decay offensively; to cause to be decomposed; to cause to rot.  [1913 Webster]
•  To corrupt; to make foul.  [1913 Webster]

  "Private suits do putrefy the public good."  [1913 Webster]

  "They would but stink, and putrefy the air."  [1913 Webster]
•  To make morbid, carious, or gangrenous; as, to putrefy an ulcer or wound.  [1913 Webster]

Putrefy, v. i. 

 To become putrid; to decay offensively; to rot.  Isa. 1. 6.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Putrefy, v. (-ies, -ied)
1 intr. & tr. become or make putrid; go bad.
2 intr. fester, suppurate.
3 intr. become morally corrupt.

Derivative

putrefacient adj. putrefaction n. putrefactive adj.

Etymology

ME f. L putrefacere f. puter putris rotten

THESAURUS

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

ROGET THESAURUS

Putrefy

Uncleanness

VB be unclean, become unclean, rot, putrefy, ferment, fester, rankle, reek, stink, mold, molder, go bad, render unclean, dirt, dirty, daub, blot, blur, smudge, smutch, soil, smoke, tarnish, slaver, spot, smear, smirch, begrease, dabble, drabble, draggle, daggle, spatter, slubber, besmear, bemire, beslime, begrime, befoul, splash, stain, distain, maculate, sully, pollute, defile, debase, contaminate, taint, leaven, corrupt, cover with dust, drabble in the mud, roil, wallow in the mire, slobber, slabber.