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plague

1. To infest or afflict with disease, calamity, or natural evil of any kind. Thus were they plagued And worn with famine. (milton)

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

Synonym: To vex, torment, distress, afflict, harass, annoy, tease, tantalize, trouble, molest, embarrass, perplex.

Origin: Plagued; Plaguing.

1. That which smites, wounds, or troubles; a blow; a calamity; any afflictive evil or torment; a great trail or vexation. And men blasphemed god for the plague of hail. (Wyclif) The different plague of each calamity. (Shak)

2. (Science: medicine) 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. cattle plague. See rinderpest. Plague mark, Plague spot, a spot or mark of the plague; hence, a token of something incurable.

Origin: L. Plaga a blow, stroke, plague; akin to Gr, fr. To strike; cf. L. Plangere to strike, beat. Cf. Plaint.