plague

plural plagues

1. capitalizedcountableoftensometimesuncountableThe 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.

   1722, Daniel Defoe, A Journal of the Plague Year

2. countableuncountablemedicineAn 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.

   2006, Irwin W. Sherman, chapter 17, in The Power of Plagues, →ISBN

   Synonyms: pest, pestilence

3. countableuncountableA 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.

   1 more example

   A plague a both the Houſes, I am sped: / Is he gone and hath nothing?

   c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 64

   Synonyms: murrain

4. countablefigurativelyuncountableA grave nuisance, whatever greatly irritates.

   Bart is an utter plague; his pranks never cease.

   2 more examples

   "I'm not doing anything as far as that goes," admitted Tulloch. "In fact," he added ruefully, "that's the plague of it. I'm waiting to hear from a man who's waiting to hear from another man, and he's depending on something that may or mayn't, you understand."

   1923, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], “(please specify the page)”, in The Eyes of Max Carrados, London: Grant Richards, →OCLC

   This is the first time a President has attended this dinner in six years. It's understandable- we had a horrible plague, followed by two years of COVID!

   2022 April 30, Joe Biden, 0:36 from the start, in President Biden complete remarks at 2022 White House Correspondents' Dinner (C-SPAN), Washington, D.C.: C-SPAN, archived from the original on 01 May 2022

5. collectivecountableuncountablebiologyA 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'

   October 31, 2017, Ben Russell, “Plague of Grackles Reminiscent of Hitchcock's ‘The Birds'”, in NBCDFW

   2 more examples

   A plague of grackles hang out on wires on Friday, Dec. 16, 2022 in Houston.

   2024 January 30, Shakari Briggs, “Have you seen big flocks of blackbirds crowd Texas parking lots? Here's why”, in Houston Chronicle

   A so-called "plague" of grackles outside the Hancock Center H-E-B.

   April 1, 2016, Mose Buchele, Texas Standard

present singular third person plagues · participle present plaguing · participle past plagued · past plagued

1. transitiveTo 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.

   1810, Jack and Jill, and old Dame Gill, York: J. Kendrew, page 7

   3 more examples

   "Moreover," replied Congreve, "it was a sort of flattery to the duke. It showed that she valued the power of plaguing him more than her own fairest ornament. Flattery is the real secret by which a woman keeps her lover."

   1837, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “Chapter XXVI. Lady Marchmont to Sir Jasper Meredith.”, in Ethel Churchill: Or, The Two Brides. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, page 238

   [W]hat we have here, they believe, are two members of gangs that have been plaguing Islington for more than a year. They snatch smartphones from pedestrians, then sell the items on the black market.

   2018 February, Robert Draper, “They are Watching You—and Everything Else on the Planet: Technology and Our Increasing Demand for Security have Put Us All under Surveillance. Is Privacy Becoming just a Memory?”, in National Geographic, Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 14 Jun 2018

   Just as Mr. Clinton began a comeback with a down-home plea for forgiveness, Mrs. Clinton now seems determined to prove, perhaps to the point of overcompensation, that she will not repeat the mistakes that plagued her 2008 campaign.

   2015 April 15, Jonathan Martin, “For a Clinton, It’s Not Hard to Be Humble in an Effort to Regain Power”, in The New York Times

   Synonyms: badger, harry, hound, badger, bait, bedevil, beleaguer, persecute

2. transitiveTo afflict with a disease or other calamity.

   Falling prices and drought plagued the cattle industry.

   1 more example

   Natural catastrophes plagued the colonists till they abandoned the pestilent marshland.

   Synonyms: scourge, torment