Also means
corrupt, depraved
Usage Note
verdorben is the standard word for food that has gone off; in a moral context it means depraved or corrupted. Verdorbene Milch and verdorbener Charakter are both idiomatic. Often found on food safety labels.
Examples
"Der Geruch im Kühlschrank deutete darauf hin, dass etwas verdorben war."
Natural Translation
The smell from the fridge suggested that something had gone off.
Literal Translation
The smell in the fridge pointed to the fact that something was spoiled.

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