croupir

to stagnate, to fester

verb kroo-PEER Rare

Usage Note

Croupir literally describes water that has become stagnant and foul-smelling, but it is very commonly used figuratively for a person who wastes away in bad conditions — croupir en prison (to rot in jail). It is a second-group (-ir) verb conjugated like finir.

Examples

"L'eau croupit dans le fossé depuis des jours."

Natural Translation

The water has been stagnating in the ditch for days.

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