mouldered

Verb

moulder (third-person singular simple present moulders, present participle mouldering, simple past and past participle mouldered)

1. (Northern England, Scotland, UK, transitive) Often followed by away or down: to cause (something) to decay or rot, or to crumble to pieces.
   • In a certaine kingdome of theſe late-diſcovered Indies, vpon the day of a ſolemne proceſſion, in vvhich the Idoles they adore, are publikely caried vpo and dovvne, […] there are numbered of others ſeene, vvho proſtrating themſelves alongſt vpon the ground, endure very paciently to be mouldred and...1603, Michel de Montaigne, “A Custome of the Ile of Cea”, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC, page 210
2. (UK, figuratively, obsolete, transitive) To cause (someone or something) to die away or disappear.
   • How many men have we seen moulder and crumble away great estates, and yet pay no debts?a. 1632 (date written), John Donne, “Sermon IX. Preached on Candlemas Day.”, in Henry Alford, editor, The Works of John Donne, D.D., […], volume I, London: John W[illiam] Parker, […], published 1839...
3. (UK, intransitive) Often followed by away: to decay or rot, or to crumble to pieces.
   • In buyldinge of a fortreſſe or other honorable mantion⸝ it aught to be well conſidered that the cement⸝ wherewith the ſtones be layde⸝ be firme and well bindynge. For if it be brokle ⁊ will mouldre a way with euery ſhowre of raine⸝ the buyldynge may nat contynewe⸝ […]1531, Thomas Elyot, “Of Constance or Stabilitie”, in The Boke Named the Governour […], London: […] Tho[mas] Bertheleti, →OCLC, 3rd boke, folio 220, verso
4. (UK, figuratively, intransitive) To die away, to disappear.
   • Let thoſe, vvho in theſe latter dayes haue ſo earneſtly laboured, to frame and eſtabliſh vnto vs, an exerciſe of religion and ſeruice of God, ſo contemplatiue and immaterial, vvonder nothing at all, if ſome be found, vvho thinke, it vvould haue eſcaped and mouldred avvay betvveene their fingers, if...1603, Michel de Montaigne, “Of the Arte of Conferring”, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book III, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC, page 557
5. (UK, figuratively, intransitive, obsolete) Often followed by away: of a group of people (especially an army): to diminish in number; to dwindle.
   • The Corniſh Army vvas greater in Reputation, than Numbers; […] if they vvere compelled to march Eaſtvvards, to vvhich they vvere not inclined, it vvas to be doubted they vvould moulder avvay ſo faſt, that there vvould be little addition of ſtrength by it.1704, Edward [Hyde, 1st] Earl of Clarendon, book VII, in The History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England, Begun in the Year 1641. […], volume II, Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed at the...

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