rusty

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈɹʌsti/ See IPA manual

Freq #4793

Meanings

1

adj
Covered with rust, the reddish-brown coating that forms on old metal.

The gate was old and rusty and would not open.
2

adj
No longer good at something because you have not practiced it for a long time.

My French is a little rusty since I haven't spoken it in years.
3

adj
Having the reddish-brown color of rust.

The autumn leaves had turned a rusty brown.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

3 adj · having the reddish-brown... rust

Word family

Forms rustierrustiestrustily

Derived forms nonrustyrustilyrustinessrustybackrustyhoodrustyishunrusty

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

rusty iron
iron whose surface has developed a reddish-brown corrosion layer

Adjective + noun

Etymology

Ellipsis of rusty one more often used for this, or from the general epithet rusty given to various particular firearm names—earlier both were applied in Cockney rhyming slang for other machines, including swords in their day, but the present coinage has not more than a loose connection to this and is from the preference for used or antique firearms due to their being easier or cheaper to obtain.

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# rusty

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈɹʌsti/
**Frequency rank:** 4793

## Meanings
1. Covered with rust, the reddish-brown coating that forms on old metal.
2. No longer good at something because you have not practiced it for a long time.
3. Having the reddish-brown color of rust.

## Examples
- The gate was old and rusty and would not open.
- My French is a little rusty since I haven't spoken it in years.
- The autumn leaves had turned a rusty brown.

## Derived Forms
- nonrusty
- rustily
- rustiness
- rustyback
- rustyhood
- rustyish
- unrusty

## Etymology
Ellipsis of rusty one more often used for this, or from the general epithet rusty given to various particular firearm names—earlier both were applied in Cockney rhyming slang for other machines, including swords in their day, but the present coinage has not more than a loose connection to this and is from the preference for used or antique firearms due to their being easier or cheaper to obtain.

## AI Etymology
Rusty ellipsis of rusty one more often used for this, or from the general epithet rusty given to various particular firearm names—earlier both were applied in Cockney rhyming slang for other machines, including swords in their day, but the present coinage has not more than a loose connection to this and is from the preference for used or antique firearms due to their being easier or cheaper to obtain. Modern senses include covered with rust, the reddish-brown coating that forms on old metal. and no longer good at something because you have not practiced it for a long time.. The wider word family includes derivatives such as nonrusty, rustily, rustiness, rustyback, rustyhood, and rustyish.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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