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plague
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- pronunciation:
- pleIg
- parts of speech:
- noun, transitive verb
- features:
- Word Combinations (noun, verb), Word Explorer
part of speech: |
noun |
definition 1: |
any disaster that affects a large population, esp. a disease epidemic or the sudden influx of harmful insects.
The crops were destroyed by a plague of locusts.How many plagues has this region suffered throughout the centuries?- synonyms:
- pestilence, scourge
- similar words:
- affliction, epidemic, infliction, pest, visitation
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definition 2: |
a highly contagious and usually fatal disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis in which victims suffer high fever, chills, and severe exhaustion.
Plague is commonly transmitted to humans through bites from fleas on infected rats and manifests itself in bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic forms.
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definition 3: |
(prec. by "the") an epidemic of bubonic plague that ravaged much of the world in the fourteenth century; the Black Death.
The plague killed approximately half the population of Europe.- synonyms:
- Black Death, bubonic plague
- similar words:
- pandemic, pest
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definition 4: |
a cause of harm, annoyance, or irritation.
There has been a plague of vandalism in the city recently.- synonyms:
- affliction, pestilence
- similar words:
- bane, bother, enemy, epidemic, evil, nuisance, thorn
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related words: |
blight, cancer, canker, curse, disease, malady, poison, torment, worry |
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part of speech: |
transitive verb |
inflections: |
plagues, plaguing, plagued |
definition 1: |
to annoy or harass; vex; torment.
The reporters plagued the star with questions.- synonyms:
- annoy, bother, bug, pester, torment, vex
- similar words:
- afflict, aggravate, badger, beleaguer, beset, exasperate, harass, hound, importune, irk, nettle, peeve, persecute
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definition 2: |
to cause to suffer from or as if from a plague.
In his later years, he was plagued by arthritis.Battles between warlords plagued the country for a decade.- synonyms:
- afflict, agonize, anguish, harrow, torment
- similar words:
- cloud, distress, pain, punish, rack, scourge, trouble
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related words: |
agonize, bait, besiege, bother, curse, devil, harry, heckle, molest, nag, ride, trouble, vex, worry |
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derivation: |
plaguer (n.) |
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