WordWeight : Weighing the Words

Pronunciation : Plague
Part of Speech : n.
Etymology : [L. plaga a blow, stroke, plague; akin to Gr. plangere to strike, beat. Cf. Plaint.]
Definition : 1. That which smites, wounds, or troubles; a blow; a calamity; any afflictive evil or torment; a great trail or vexation. Shak. And men blasphemed God for the plague of hail. Wyclif. The different plague of each calamity. Shak.

2. (Med.)

Defn: 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." Tennyson. Cattle plague. See Rinderpest. -- Plague mark, Plague spot, a spot or mark of the plague; hence, a token of something incurable.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913

Pronunciation : Plague
Part of Speech : v.
Definition : 1. To infest or afflict with disease, calamity, or natural evil of any kind. Thus were they plagued And worn with famine. Milton.

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

Syn. -- To vex; torment; distress; afflict; harass; annoy; tease; tantalize; trouble; molest; embarrass; perplex.

t. [imp. & p. p. Plagued; p. pr. & vb. n. Plaguing.]
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913