Plague
/pleɪɡ/
nounverbB2
Definition
As a noun, plague refers to a dangerous disease that spreads fast and affects many people or animals, often causing death. It can also mean any big problem that causes suffering or difficulty. As a verb, to plague someone means to cause them ongoing problems, worries, or pain.
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See It in Action
A serious contagious disease that spreads quickly and causes many deaths
- •The plague killed millions of people in Europe during the Middle Ages.
- •Scientists study how the plague spreads to prevent future outbreaks.
- •The town was quarantined to stop the plague from spreading.
A big problem or trouble that affects many people or things
- •Mice can be a plague in old houses.
- •Traffic jams are a plague in big cities.
- •The company faced a plague of complaints after the product failed.
To cause continuous trouble, pain, or worry to someone or something (verb)
- •He was plagued by bad luck all year.
- •The team was plagued with injuries before the final game.
- •Financial problems have plagued the business for months.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "plague" like "problem," but much bigger and more serious—like a problem that spreads quickly and is hard to stop.
- ✓Picture a dark cloud covering a whole town, making people sick or unhappy everywhere.
- ✓It's the feeling of being bothered again and again by something you cannot easily fix or avoid.
- ✓Sounds like "play-g" → imagine a "game" (play) that never ends and keeps causing trouble for you.
- ✓Remember stories or movies about the "Black Death," a famous plague that caused many deaths in history.
- ✓NOT like "cold" (a small illness), plague is a very serious and fast-spreading disease.
- ✓NOT like "annoy" (small trouble), to plague is to cause serious and ongoing pain or problems.
- ✓As a noun, plague is a disease; as a verb, it is the action of causing trouble or pain.
Try Other Words
- •Epidemic: a large and fast spread of disease (Use when talking about disease spreading in many people)
- •Curse: a serious bad thing causing trouble (Use when talking about something causing ongoing bad effects)
- •Torment: to cause pain or suffering (Use when focusing on causing pain or worry to someone)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: (no clear prefix or suffix; root word "plague")
- •Etymology: From Latin "plaga" meaning "blow, wound, strike"
- •Historical development: Originally meant a strike or blow, later used for deadly diseases spreading like a strike
- •Modern usage: Used for serious diseases, big problems, or to describe causing continuous trouble or pain
Reflect & Connect
•How can the word "plague" help us understand the impact of serious problems in society or nature?
•Can something be called a "plague" even if it is not a disease? What examples can you think of?
Fill in the blanks
1.The village suffered from a plague that ___ many people very quickly.
2.He was plagued by doubts and fears that ___ his decisions every day.
3.Unlike a small cold, the plague is ___ and can cause many deaths.
4.The city faced a plague of ___ that made life difficult for everyone.
5.When a problem plagues a company, it often ___ its success and growth.
6.The farmers were plagued ___ pests that destroyed their crops.
7.A plague usually requires strong action to ___ its spread and effects.