slowly decay or disintegrate, especially because of neglect
(尤指因长期被疏忽而)腐烂;碎裂
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there was a mushroomy smell of disuse and mouldering books 有一股因长年弃置不用和发霉书籍带来的蘑菇般气味
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figurative 〈喻〉I couldn't permit someone of your abilities to moulder away in a backwater .我不能允许像你这样有能力的人在死气沉沉的地方荒废下去。
 
"mid 16th cent.: perhaps from