Hypertext Webster Gateway: "infest"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Infest \In*fest"\, a. [L. infestus. See {Infest}, v. t.]
Mischievous; hurtful; harassing. [Obs.] --Spenser.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Infest \In*fest"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Infested}; p. pr. & vb.
n. {Infesting}.] [L. infestare, fr. infestus disturbed,
hostile, troublesome; in in, against + the root of defendere:
cf. F. infester. See {Defend}.]
To trouble greatly by numbers or by frequency of presence; to
disturb; to annoy; to frequent and molest or harass; as,
fleas infest dogs and cats; a sea infested with pirates.
To poison vermin that infest his plants. --Cowper.
These, said the genius, are envy, avarice,
superstition, love, with the like cares and passions
that infest human life. --Addison.
And the cares, that infest the day, Shall fold their
tents, like the Arabs, And as silently steal away.
--Longfellow.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
infest
v 1: invade in great numbers, as of pests [syn: {overrun}]
2: occupy in large numbers or live on a host; "cockroaches
invaded my kitchen"; "Ants overran the picnic table"; "the
Kudzu plant infests muchof the South" and is spreading to
the North" [syn: {invade}, {overrun}]
3: live on or in a host, as of parasites
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