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.
权威例句
1. Police corruption is not just a few rotten apples.
警方的腐败不仅仅是几个害群之马造成的。
2. Molly razzed me about my rotten sense of direction.
莫利笑话我糟糕的方向感。
3. They made the treacherous journey across stormy seas in rotten boats.
他们乘着破旧的小船穿越风大浪急的海面,完成了这次危险之旅。
4. It's a rotten play, so they can stick it.
这部剧糟透了,他们趁早拉倒吧。
5. The smell outside this building is overwhelming — like rotten eggs.