rotten (redirected from rottenness)

something is rotten in (the state of) Denmark.

Prov. something suspicious is going on. (From shakespeare's play Hamlet.) Jim: Look, there's a light on in the office, even though it's way past the time everyone should have left. John: Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. Jane: I wonder why Fred is coming in so late every morning. Jane: Something is rotten in Denmark.

Early ripe, early rotten, and Soon ripe, soon rotten.

Prov. A child with extraordinary talent or intelligence will probably lose those qualities by the time he or she grows up. Jill: Philip was such a fine young boy; I'm surprised he's become such a good-for-nothing adult. Jane: Early ripe, early rotten. Jane: You must be very proud of your little boy. He seems so mature for his age. Ellen: I'm afraid it won't last. You know what they say: "Soon ripe, soon rotten."

See also: early

rotten apple

a single bad person or thing. There always is a rotten apple to spoil it for the rest of us. Tom sure has turned out to be the rotten apple.

See also: apple

rotten apple spoils the barrel

Prov. A bad person influences everyone he or she comes into contact with, making them bad too. Helen is the rotten apple that spoils the barrel in our office. Everyone sees her come in late to work and take long coffee breaks, and they think, "Why can't I do the same?"

See also: apple, barrel, spoil

rotten egg and bad egg

a bad or despised person; an evil influence. That guy is a real rotten egg. She sure has turned out to be a rotten egg.

See also: egg

rotten luck

Fig. bad luck. Of all the rotten luck! I've had nothing but rotten luck all day.

See also: luck

rotten to the core

Fig. really bad; corrupt. That lousy punk is rotten to the core. The entire administration is rotten to the core.

See also: core

spoiled rotten

Fig. indulged in; greatly spoiled. This kid is spoiled rotten! I was spoiled rotten when I was a child, so I'm used to this kind of wasteful luxury.

See also: spoil

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a bad/rotten apple

one bad person in a group of people who are good You'll find the occasional rotten apple in every organization.

See also: apple, bad

be rotten to the core

if a person or an organization is rotten to the core, it behaves in a way that is not honest or moral The whole legal system is rotten to the core.

See a bad apple, spoil rotten

See also: core

spoil somebody rotten

to do whatever someone wants you to do or to give them anything they want My husband spoils me rotten. Look at all this jewellery he's given me. Those children are spoiled rotten by their grandparents.

See also: spoil

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spoil somebody rotten

to do everything possible to satisfy someone's desires Those children are spoiled rotten by their grandparents. Dad always spoiled us rotten, and Mom was the one who disciplined us.

See also: spoil