vaccine

1. historicalnot comparablemedicineOf, pertaining to, caused by, or characteristic of cowpox.
2. historicalnot comparableimmunologyOf or pertaining to cowpox as a source of material for vaccination against smallpox; also, of or pertaining to such material used for vaccination.

   I will call upon them: they are healthy children, we can have the vaccine infection from them, and I will inoculate the boy myself.

   1804, Maria Edgeworth, “To-morrow. Chapter VII. Moral Habits Seldom Changed by Change of Fortune.”, in Popular Tales, volume III, London: Printed for J[oseph] Johnson, […], [b]y C. Mercier and Co., […], →OCLC, page 389

3. archaicnot comparableOf, pertaining to, or derived from cattle.

   1 more example

   [M]y play could not have been written but for the work done by Sir Almroth Wright in the theory and practice of securing immunization from bacterial diseases by the inoculation of "vaccines" made of their own bacteria: a practice incorrectly called vaccinetherapy (there is nothing vaccine about it) apparently because it is what vaccination ought to be and is not.

   1906 (date written), [George] Bernard Shaw, “The Doctor’s Dilemma. Preface on Doctors. The Latest Theories.”, in The Doctor’s Dilemma, Getting Married, & The Shewing-Up of Blanco Posnet, London: Constable and Company, published 1911, →OCLC, pages lxxxviii–lxxxxix

   Synonyms: bovine

plural vaccines

1. countableuncountableimmunologyA substance given to stimulate a body's production of antibodies and provide immunity against a disease without causing the disease itself in the treatment, prepared from the agent that causes the disease (or a derivative of it; or a related, also effective, but safer disease), or a synthetic substitute; also, a dose of such a substance.

   I am much inclined to the vaccine. My friend, Mr. L—, has had all his children vaccined, and I just wait to see the effect.

   1804, Maria Edgeworth, “To-morrow. Chapter VII. Moral Habits Seldom Changed by Change of Fortune.”, in Popular Tales, volume III, London: Printed for J[oseph] Johnson, […], [b]y C. Mercier and Co., […], →OCLC, page 387

   3 more examples

   But he really ought to know the difference between a vaccine and an anti-toxin. Stimulate the phagocytes! The vaccine doesnt affect the phagocytes at all.

   1906 (date written), [George] Bernard Shaw, “The Doctor’s Dilemma”, in The Doctor’s Dilemma, Getting Married, & The Shewing-Up of Blanco Posnet, London: Constable and Company, published 1911, →OCLC, Act I, page 28

   South Korea is willing to cooperate with the North to tackle the disease outbreak, but Pyongyang remains unresponsive to any offers for dialogue, including Seoul's earlier proposal to provide COVID vaccines, said another official at the unification ministry. South Hwanghae Province, where Haeju is located, is North Korea's key agricultural region, raising concerns over possible impacts on the country's already dire food shortage.

   2022 June 16, Soo-Hyang Choi, Hyonhee Shin, “North Korea faces infectious disease outbreak amid COVID battle”, in Lincoln Feast, editor, Reuters, archived from the original on 16 Jun 2022

   “I’m thrilled about the prospect of this, as well as about the prospect of other R.S.V. vaccines in the pipeline,” said Dr. Miller, who is not an adviser to the agency. […] The vaccine under review Thursday was tested in about 7,300 women after the 24th week of pregnancy.

   2023 May 18, Christina Jewett, “F.D.A. Panel Recommends R.S.V. Vaccine to Protect Young Infants”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 18 May 2023

2. countableuncountableimmunologyThe process of vaccination; immunization, inoculation.

   My dog has had two vaccines this year.

3. countablehistoricaluncountableimmunologyThe material taken from cowpox pustules used for vaccination against smallpox.
4. alsocountableobsoleteuncountableimmunologyThe disease cowpox, especially as a source of material for vaccination against smallpox.
5. countablefigurativelyuncountableSomething defensive or protective in nature, like a vaccine (sense 1.1).
6. countablefigurativelyuncountablecomputingA software program which protects computers against, or detects and neutralizes, computer viruses and other types of malware; an antivirus.

present singular third person vaccines · participle present vaccining · participle past vaccined · past vaccined

1. archaictransitiveSynonym of vaccinate (“to treat (a person or an animal) with a vaccine to produce immunity against a disease”).

   [S]ince you have decided that the boy shall be vaccined, let us send directly for the surgeon and have it done, and then he will be safe.

   1804, Maria Edgeworth, “To-morrow. Chapter VII. Moral Habits Seldom Changed by Change of Fortune.”, in Popular Tales, volume III, London: Printed for J[oseph] Johnson, […], [b]y C. Mercier and Co., […], →OCLC, page 388

   Synonyms: immunize, inoculate, vaccinate