PLAGUE • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Plague

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/pleɪg/ Listen

noun

Plague n.

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." "The different plague of each calamity."

2.

(Med.) 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.

verb

Plague v. t. (past & past part. plagued; pres. part. plaguing)

1.

To infest or afflict with disease, calamity, or natural evil of any kind. "Thus were they plagued And worn with famine."

2.

Fig.: To vex; to tease; to harass. "She will plague the man that loves her most."

Synonyms: To vex; torment; distress; afflict; harass; annoy; tease; tantalize; trouble; molest; embarrass; perplex.

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Etymology of 'Plague'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Plague" Quotes from Famous Books

... none other than a pestilential visitation brought into the valleys by the French troops, who were at this time occupying the valleys. By this terrible plague some ten thousand of the Vaudois perished, including twelve pastors. Only three pastors being now left, application was made to Geneva for assistance, and pastors being sent from thence introduced a polity which was Presbyterian rather than Episcopalian. Still ...

— The Vaudois of Piedmont - A Visit to their Valleys • John Napper Worsfold

... still free companions. On asking why they kept them in confinement, "Because they sing sweetly," was the answer. They feed them on the lotsa ('Pennisetum typhoideum'), of which great quantities are cultivated as food for man, and these canaries plague the gardeners here, very much in the same way as ...

— Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa - Journeys and Researches in South Africa • David Livingstone

... of Leicester Abbey, canon and chronicler, tells us some of the consequences following on the plague, and shows us very clearly the social upheaval it effected. The population had now so much diminished that prices of live stock went down, an ox costing 4s., a cow 12d., and a sheep 3d. But for the same reason wages went up, for labour had suddenly grown scarce. For want of hands to bring ...

— Mediaeval Socialism • Bede Jarrett

... by all means do so!" insisted the snake. "You must see that the humans know of no cure for this plague." ...

— The Wonderful Adventures of Nils • Selma Lagerlof

... had become merely an empty emblem of restriction, and without recourse to it each knew beyond question where the dividing line between the estates ran; moreover, as both families shunned the other's land as if it were plague-ridden territory there was scant temptation for them to invade each other's domains. But the man and the woman had inherited too much of the blood of the original stock to consider ...

— The Wall Between • Sara Ware Bassett

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