Plague



GRE TOEFL 考研

解释

GRE 红宝书

• n. 瘟疫; 讨厌的人或物; v. 烦扰;
• ［英］ n. 瘟疫 ( fatal epidemic disease) ; 讨厌的人或物 ( anuisance) ; v. 烦扰 ( to disturb or annoy persistently)
• ［例］ plagued by poverty ( 被贫困所纠缠) / a plague of locusts ( 蝗灾)

Webster Collegiate

I. noun

• Etymology: Middle English plage, from Late Latin plaga, from Latin, blow; akin to Latin plangere to strike — more at plaint
• Date: 14th century
• 1.
  • a. a disastrous evil or affliction ; calamity
  • b. a destructively numerous influx <a plague of locusts>
• 2.
  • a. an epidemic disease causing a high rate of mortality ; pestilence
  • b. a virulent contagious febrile disease that is caused by a bacterium (Yersinia pestis) and that occurs in bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic forms — called also black death
• 3.
  • a. a cause of irritation ; nuisance
  • b. a sudden unwelcome outbreak <a plague of burglaries>

II. transitive verb (plagued; plaguing)

• Date: 15th century
• 1. to smite, infest, or afflict with or as if with disease, calamity, or natural evil
• 2.
  • a. to cause worry or distress to ; hamper, burden
  • b. to disturb or annoy persistently
• Synonyms: see worry
• ? plaguer noun

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