Past tense of 'fester'; to become infected and produce pus, or to worsen over time emotionally or morally.
From Old English 'fester,' derived from Latin 'fistula' (a pipe or hollow tube), originally describing infected wounds that ooze like a tube.
The word 'fester' creates a perfect metaphor—just as an infected wound gets worse the longer it's ignored, emotional resentment and social problems literally 'fester' when left unaddressed, making it one of language's most effective metaphors.
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