plague
AI In plain words
Writing a short explanation…
Written by a house AI from the entry below, in your language. The entry itself is the source.
plague
- /pleɪɡ/
- [pʰl̥eɪɡ]
- /plɛɡ/ US, nonstandard
- [pʰɫ̥ɛːɡ] US, nonstandard
Rhymes with -eɪɡ
Where it comes from
From Middle English plage, borrowed from Old French plage, from Latin plāga (“blow, wound”), from plangō (“to strike”). Cognate with Middle Dutch plāghe (> Dutch plaag), plāghen (> Dutch plagen); Middle Low German plāge; Middle High German plāge, pflāge (> German Plage); plāgen (> German plagen); Swedish plåga; French plaie, Occitan plaga. Doublet of plaga. Displaced native Old English wōl.
noun plagues
- The bubonic plague, the pestilent disease caused by the virulent bacterium Yersinia pestis. It was about the beginning of September, 1664, that I, among the rest of my neighbours, heard in ordinary discourse that the plague was returned again in Holland[…] It mattered not from whence it came; but all agreed it was come into Holland again.
- An epidemic or pandemic caused by any pestilence, but especially that caused by the above disease. Great plagues, such as the bubonic plague or smallpox or syphilis or influenza, can happen again.
- A widespread affliction, calamity, or destructive influx, especially when seen as divine retribution. Ten Biblical plagues over Egypt, ranging from locusts to the death of the crown prince, finally forced Pharaoh to let Moses's people go.
- A grave nuisance, whatever greatly irritates. Bart is an utter plague; his pranks never cease.
- A group of common grackles (a blackbird), especially when flocking to e.g. parking lots at night. Plague of Grackles Reminiscent of Hitchcock's ‘The Birds'
verb plagues · plaguing · plagued
- To harass, pester or annoy someone persistently or incessantly. Dame Gill did grin, As she went in, And Jill was plagu'd by Jack, Will Goat came by, And made Jack cry, And knock'd him on his back.
- To afflict with a disease or other calamity. Natural catastrophes plagued the colonists till they abandoned the pestilent marshland.
