Both Uses of
rancid
in
One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
- good fat didn't reach the zeks, and the rancid all went into the soup kettle
*rancid = a state of decomposition of oils or fats such that they smell and taste bad
- All the cook himself did was this: he poured the grits Into the pot, adding salt; he divided the fat between the pot and himself (good fat didn't reach the zeks, and the rancid all went into the soup kettle, so when there was an issue of rancid fat from the warehouse, the zeks welcomed it as an extra).†
Definition:
-
(rancid) bad -- most directly referring to the smell of oils or fats that have decomposed because they are not fresh enough, but metaphorically the word can refer to anything considered bad