v.
[
often as adj. festering]
- (of a wound or sore) become septic.
▸(of food or rubbish) become rotten.
- (of a negative feeling or a problem) intensify, especially through neglect.
- deteriorate physically and mentally in isolated inactivity.
Etymology
ME: from fester ‘fistula’, later ‘festering sore’, or OFr. festrir (v.), both from OFr. festre (n.), from L. fistula ‘reed, fistula’.