Lexic.us

Definition of Plague

1. Noun. A serious (sometimes fatal) infection of rodents caused by Yersinia pestis and accidentally transmitted to humans by the bite of a flea that has bitten an infected animal.

2. Verb. Cause to suffer a blight. "Too much rain may blight the garden with mold"

3. Noun. Any epidemic disease with a high death rate.

4. Verb. Annoy continually or chronically. "The performance is likely to plague Sue"; "This man harasses his female co-workers"

5. Noun. A swarm of insects that attack plants. "A plague of grasshoppers"

6. Noun. Any large scale calamity (especially when thought to be sent by God).

7. Noun. An annoyance. "Those children are a damn plague"

Definition of Plague

1. n. That which smites, wounds, or troubles; a blow; a calamity; any afflictive evil or torment; a great trail or vexation.

2. v. t. To infest or afflict with disease, calamity, or natural evil of any kind.

Definition of Plague

1. Noun. (''used absolutely, usually capitalized: '''The Pest''''') The pestilent disease "Plague", caused by the virulent bacterium ''Yersinia pestis'' and mostly known by its variant form ''bubonic plague''. ¹

2. Noun. (pathology) An epidemic or pandemic caused by any pestilence, but specifically by the above disease. ¹

3. Noun. A widespread affliction, calamity or destructive influx, especially when seen as divine retribution. ¹

4. Noun. A grave nuisance, whatever greatly irritates ¹

5. Verb. (transitive) To harass, pester or annoy someone persistently or incessantly. ¹

6. Verb. (transitive) To afflict with a disease or other calamity. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Plague

1. to harass or torment [v PLAGUED, PLAGUING, PLAGUES]

Medical Definition of Plague

1. 1. To infest or afflict with disease, calamity, or natural evil of any kind. "Thus were they plagued And worn with famine." (Milton) 2. To vex; to tease; to harass. "She will plague the man that loves her most." (Spenser) Synonym: To vex, torment, distress, afflict, harass, annoy, tease, tantalize, trouble, molest, embarrass, perplex. Origin: Plagued; Plaguing. 1. That which smites, wounds, or troubles; a blow; a calamity; any afflictive evil or torment; a great trail or vexation. "And men blasphemed God for the plague of hail." (Wyclif) "The different plague of each calamity." (Shak) 2. An acute malignant contagious fever, that often prevails in Egypt, Syria, and Turkey, and has at times visited the large cities of Europe with frightful mortality; hence, any pestilence; as, the great London plague. "A plague upon the people fell." Cattle plague. See Rinderpest. Plague mark, Plague spot, a spot or mark of the plague; hence, a token of something incurable. Origin: L. Plaga a blow, stroke, plague; akin to Gr, fr. To strike; cf. L. Plangere to strike, beat. Cf. Plaint. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Plague

plagioclastic plagioclimax plagionite plagiosere plagioseres plagiostomatous plagiostome plagiostomes plagiostomi plagiostomous

plagiotremata plagiotropic plagium plagiums plagose plague (current term) plague bacillus plague pneumonia plague septicaemia plague spot

plague vaccine plagued plagueful plagueless plaguelike plaguer plaguers plagues plaguesome plaguey

Literary usage of Plague

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The American Journal of the Medical Sciences by Southern Society for Clinical Investigation (U.S.) (1908)
"They placed a plague-infected rat and a number of fleas in a cage enclosed ... Fleas transferred from rats that had died of plague to healthy rats produced ..."

2. Science by American Association for the Advancement of Science (1900)
"After a short reference to the history of plague, he said it was possible ... After giving a description of the plague bacillus, Dr. Calmette said plague ..."

3. Encyclopaedia Britannica: A Standard Work of Reference in Art, Literature (1907)
"In 1834 plague existed eight months at Alexandria before passing to Damietta and ... Twenty-five ships, eight of which were infected with plague, ..."

4. The American Journal of the Medical Sciences by Southern Society for Clinical Investigation (U.S.) (1908)
"They placed a plague-infected rat and a number of fleas in a cage enclosed ... Fleas transferred from rats that had died of plague to healthy rats produced ..."

5. Science by American Association for the Advancement of Science (1900)
"After a short reference to the history of plague, he said it was possible ... After giving a description of the plague bacillus, Dr. Calmette said plague ..."

6. Encyclopaedia Britannica: A Standard Work of Reference in Art, Literature (1907)
"In 1834 plague existed eight months at Alexandria before passing to Damietta and ... Twenty-five ships, eight of which were infected with plague, ..."

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