Word Confusion: Rot versus Wrought

Posted October 19, 2015 by Kathy Davie in Author Resources, Self-Editing, Word Confusions, Writing

Revised as of
23 Dec 2022

I know, how could anyone possibly mistake these two? The number of letters alone should tell ya somethin’.

I gotta wonder if the writer with the rot iron ever experienced root rot or knows anything about wrought iron?

Of course, I suppose he could be talking about iron that’s rusting. That could be considered a rot. One could also be wrought up over a plant that’s suffering root rot. Oh, wait . . . it was rot iron he was talkin’ about. I dunno. The best interpretation I can come up with is that rotting, er, rusting iron . . .

Consider the following:
She’s rot. Hmmm, sounds like she’s a nasty person.	She’s wrought. She’s one upset lady.
I love rot . . . Ewww, the stench of it, the squishiness!	I love wrought . . . Hmmm, wrought iron in those flowing curlicues or being worked up into a state?
I have rot. Damn, that’s a shame. Any chance you can change out the soil in the pot?	I have wrought. Cool. What did you make?

Consider the following:

She’s rot.

Hmmm, sounds like she’s a nasty person.

She’s wrought.

She’s one upset lady.

I love rot . . .

Ewww, the stench of it, the squishiness!

I love wrought . . .

Hmmm, wrought iron in those flowing curlicues or being worked up into a state?

I have rot.

Damn, that’s a shame. Any chance you can change out the soil in the pot?

I have wrought.

Cool. What did you make?

Word Confusions . . .

. . . started as my way of dealing with a professional frustration with properly spelled words that were out of context in manuscripts I was editing as well as books I was reviewing. It evolved into a sharing of information with y’all. I’m hoping you’ll share with us words that have been a bête noire for you from either end.

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Rot	Wrought
Dry Rot Caused by Serpula lacrymans is Mätes II’s own work under the GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0 license, via Wikimedia Commons.	Volders-Charles Church is WOKRIE’s own work under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license, via Wikimedia Commons. — This wrought iron grille was created in 1862 by Oswald Kayser and can be found in St. Karl Church in Volders in the Tyrol, Austria.
Part of Grammar:
Exclamation ²; Noun ¹; Verb ², intransitive & transitive Plural for the noun: rot Gerund: rotting Third person present verb: rots Past tense or past participle: rotted Present participle: rotting	Morpheme: work Adjective; Verb, intransitive & transitive Third person present verb: works Past tense or past participle: worked, wrought [Archaic] Present participle: working
Exclamation: Used to express disagreement or disgust Nonsense Rubbish Noun: The process of decaying Rotten or decayed matter [the rot] A process of deterioration A decline in standards [Usually with modifier] Any of a number of fungal or bacterial diseases that cause tissue deterioration, especially in plants [Informal] Nonsense [Informal] Rubbish Verb, intransitive: [Chiefly of animal or vegetable matter] Decay or cause to decay by the action of bacteria and fungi ² Decompose To become unsound or weak (as from use or chemical action) To go to ruin To become morally corrupt Verb, transitive: [Chiefly of animal or vegetable matter] Decay or cause to decay by the action of bacteria and fungi ² Decompose Gradually deteriorate through lack of attention or opportunity	Adjective: [Of metals] Beaten out or shaped by hammering Worked into shape by artistry or effort Elaborately embellished Processed for use Deeply stirred Verb, intransitive: Moved or caused to move gradually or with difficulty into another position, typically by means of constant movement or pressure Verb, transitive: Been engaged in physical or mental activity in order to achieve a purpose or result, especially in one’s job Did work Was employed, typically in a specified occupation or field [had worked in; of an artist] Produced articles or pictures using (a particular material or medium) Produced an article or design using a specified material or sewing stitch Had set to or keep at work Cultivated (land) or extract materials from (a mine or quarry) Solved a puzzle or mathematical problem Practiced one’s occupation or operate in or at (a particular place) Made efforts to achieve something Campaigned [Of a machine or system] Operated or functioned, especially properly or effectively [Of a machine or a part of it] Ran Went through regular motions [Especially of a person’s features] Moved violently or convulsively Caused a device or machine) to operate [Of a plan or method] Had the desired result or effect Brought about Produced as a result [Informal] Arranged or contrived [worked on, worked upon] Exerted influence or used one’s persuasive power on (someone or their feelings) Used one’s persuasive power to stir the emotions of (a person or group of people) Brought a material or mixture to a desired shape or consistency by hammering, kneading, or some other method Brought into a specified state, especially an emotional state Moved or caused to move gradually or with difficulty into another position, typically by means of constant movement or pressure [Of joints, such as those in a wooden ship] Loosened and flexed under repeated stress [Sailing] Made progress to windward, after repeated tacking
Examples:
Exclamation: What rot! Don’t talk rot! Oh, rot! Noun: The leaves were turning black with rot. She was busy cutting the rot from the potatoes. That’s a lot of rot! It was when they moved back to the family home that the rot set in. You’ve been overwatering again. This plant has root rot. Heart rot causes decay in a tree’s heartwood. Don’t talk rot. Verb, intransitive: The chalets were neglected and their woodwork was rotting away. The bodies were rotted through. He cannot understand the way the education system has been allowed to rot. Verb, transitive: Caries sets in at a weak point and spreads to rot the whole tooth. I was left to rot nine years for a crime I didn’t commit. “I’ve had dreams enough all night — with that patch-eyed Spanish devil going for me all through ’em — rot him!” (Twain).	Adjective: New Orleans is known for its delicate-looking wrought iron balconies. “Whosoever shall bring into this realm any wrought silk to be sold, concerning the mystery of silk-workers, shall forfeit the fame . . .” (Pickering). It was a carefully wrought essay. I love all the curlicues in that wrought iron gate! Verb, intransitive: Its bases had wrought loose. Peter had been much wrought upon. Wrought with fear, Helen stepped cautiously onto the bridge. Her nose had been wrought with much grace. Verb, transitive: She had combed from tip to root to wrought out the knots at the end. The boys wrought havoc in the workplace. She was obviously wrought over something. I tell thee, I despise her when she is so wrought with emotion.
Derivatives:
Adjective: rotten Noun:: rottenness, rotter	Adjective: wrought up, wroughted Noun: working, wrought iron
History of the Word:
The first known use was in the 14th century from the Middle English and may have come via Scandinavia. The first known use was before the 12th century from the Middle English roten, from the Old English rotian is akin to the Old High German rōzzēn meaning to rot and related to the Dutch rotten.	The first known use was in the 13th century.

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C’mon, get it out of your system, bitch, whine, moan . . . which words are your pet peeves? Also, please note that I try to be as accurate as I can, but mistakes happen or I miss something. Email me if you find errors, so I can fix them . . . and we’ll all benefit!

Satisfy your curiosity about other Word Confusions on its homepage or more generally explore the index of self-editing posts. You may also want to explore Book Layout & Formatting Ideas, Formatting Tips, Grammar Explanations, Linguistics, Publishing Tips, the Properly Punctuated, Writing Ideas and Resources, and Working Your Website.

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Resources for Rot versus Wrought

Some of these links may be affiliate links, and I will earn a small percentage, if you should buy it. It does not affect the price you pay.

Apple Dictionary.com

The Free Dictionary: rot

Merriam-Webster: wrought

Pickering, Danby. The Statutes at Large: From the First Year of King Henry V to the Twenty-second Year of King Edward IV. Cambridge: Joseph Bentham, 1762. Ebook. Vol. 45, Part 1, 354.

Twain, Mark. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Chatto and Windus, London: 1876. ClassicBooks by KTHTK: 2022. <https://amzn.to/3vdvwQ8>. Ebook.

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