carrion

UK /ˈkæɹ.ɪ.ən/US /ˈkɛɹ.i.ən/

noun7

•
Rotting flesh of a dead animal or person.
- Vultures feed on carrion.
•
(figurative) Corrupt or horrid matter.
- [T]here are melancholy sceptics with a taste for carrion who batten on the hideous facts in history,—persecutions, inquisitions, St. Bartholomew massacres, devilish lives, […] — 1870
(no longer used) A dead body; a carcass, a corpse.
(figurative, no longer used) Filth, garbage.
•
(figurative, no longer used) An animal which is in poor condition or worthless; also, an animal which is a pest or vermin.
- Let carren and barren, be shifted awaie, / for best is the best, whatsoeuer ye paie. — 1580
•
(offensive, no longer used) A contemptible or worthless person.
- […] Pegg Kite, […] will be, I doubt, a troublesome carrion to us executors; but if she will not be ruled, I shall fling up my executorship. — 1661
•
(offensive, no longer used) The flesh of a living human body; also (Christianity), sinful human nature.
- Shy[lock]. My ovvne flesh and blood to rebell. / Salan[io]. Out vpon it old carrion, rebels it as these yeares. — 1596

•
Pertaining to, or made up of, rotting flesh.
- This coouie [i.e., covey of harpies] rauenouse, and swift with a desperat onset, / They gripte in tallants the meat, and foorth spourged a stincking / Foule carrayne sauoure: […] — 1582
(figurative) Disgusting, horrid, rotten.
(figurative) Of the living human body, the soul, etc.: fleshly, mortal, sinful.
•
(no longer used) Of or pertaining to death.
- O hell! vvhat haue vve heere, a carrion death? / VVithin vvhose empty eye there is a vvritten scroule, / Ile reade the vvriting. — 1596
(no longer used) Very thin; emaciated, skeletonlike.

forms

carrions · more carrion · most carrion