noun The reddish-brown coating that forms on iron or steel when it reacts with moisture and oxygen over time.
- The old bike chain was covered in rust after sitting out in the rain all winter.
- She scraped the rust off the gate before repainting it.
- Rust had eaten a hole through the bottom of the old bucket.
noun A reddish-brown color, named after the corrosion.
- The autumn leaves turned a deep rust color.
- She painted the front door a warm shade of rust.
- The sofa was a rich rust and looked lovely against the cream walls.
verb To corrode or become covered in rust, or to cause something to do so.
- Leave that tool out in the damp and it will rust within weeks.
- Road salt rusts car bodywork much faster than fresh water does.
- Bicycles left outside all winter will rust unless you oil the chain.
verb To lose sharpness or ability through lack of use.
- His French had rusted after a decade of not speaking it.
- If you stop practicing the piano, your skills will start to rust.
- I haven't played chess for years, so my game has rusted badly.
