plague

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plague / plāg/ • n. a contagious bacterial disease characterized by fever and delirium, typically with the formation of buboes (see bubonic plague) and sometimes infection of the lungs (pneumonic plague): an outbreak of plague they died of the plague. ∎  a contagious disease that spreads rapidly and kills many people. ∎  an unusually large number of insects or animals infesting a place and causing damage: a plague of fleas. ∎  [in sing.] a thing causing trouble or irritation: staff theft is usually the plague of restaurants. ∎  a widespread affliction regarded as divine punishment: the plagues of Egypt. ∎  [in sing.] archaic used as a curse or an expression of despair or disgust: a plague on all their houses!• v. (plagues, plagued, pla·guing) [tr.] cause continual trouble or distress to: the problems that plagued the company he has been plagued by ill health. ∎  pester or harass (someone) continually: he was plaguing her with questions.ORIGIN: late Middle English: Latin plaga ‘stroke, wound,’ probably from Greek (Doric dialect) plaga, from a base meaning ‘strike.’

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