Hypertext Webster Gateway: "plague"
From Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary (easton)
Plague
a "stroke" of affliction, or disease. Sent as a divine
chastisement (Num. 11:33; 14:37; 16:46-49; 2 Sam. 24:21).
Painful afflictions or diseases, (Lev. 13:3, 5, 30; 1 Kings
8:37), or severe calamity (Mark 5:29; Luke 7:21), or the
judgment of God, so called (Ex. 9:14). Plagues of Egypt were ten
in number.
(1.) The river Nile was turned into blood, and the fish died,
and the river stank, so that the Egyptians loathed to drink of
the river (Ex. 7:14-25).
(2.) The plague of frogs (Ex. 8:1-15).
(3.) The plague of lice (Heb. kinnim, properly gnats or
mosquitoes; comp. Ps. 78:45; 105:31), "out of the dust of the
land" (Ex. 8:16-19).
(4.) The plague of flies (Heb. arob, rendered by the LXX.
dog-fly), Ex. 8:21-24.
(5.) The murrain (Ex.9:1-7), or epidemic pestilence which
carried off vast numbers of cattle in the field. Warning was
given of its coming.
(6.) The sixth plague, of "boils and blains," like the third,
was sent without warning (Ex.9:8-12). It is called (Deut. 28:27)
"the botch of Egypt," A.V.; but in R.V., "the boil of Egypt."
"The magicians could not stand before Moses" because of it.
(7.) The plague of hail, with fire and thunder (Ex. 9:13-33).
Warning was given of its coming. (Comp. Ps. 18:13; 105:32, 33).
(8.) The plague of locusts, which covered the whole face of
the earth, so that the land was darkened with them (Ex.
10:12-15). The Hebrew name of this insect, _arbeh_, points to
the "multitudinous" character of this visitation. Warning was
given before this plague came.
(9.) After a short interval the plague of darkness succeeded
that of the locusts; and it came without any special warning
(Ex. 10:21-29). The darkness covered "all the land of Egypt" to
such an extent that "they saw not one another." It did not,
however, extend to the land of Goshen.
(10.) The last and most fearful of these plagues was the death
of the first-born of man and of beast (Ex. 11:4, 5; 12:29,30).
The exact time of the visitation was announced, "about
midnight", which would add to the horror of the infliction. Its
extent also is specified, from the first-born of the king to the
first-born of the humblest slave, and all the first-born of
beasts. But from this plague the Hebrews were completely
exempted. The Lord "put a difference" between them and the
Egyptians. (See {PASSOVER}.)
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Plague \Plague\, n. [L. plaga a blow, stroke, plague; akin to
Gr. ?, fr. ? to strike; cf. L. plangere to strike, beat. Cf.
{Plaint}.]
1. That which smites, wounds, or troubles; a blow; a
calamity; any afflictive evil or torment; a great trail or
vexation. --Shak.
And men blasphemed God for the plague of hail.
--Wyclif.
The different plague of each calamity. --Shak.
2. (Med.) 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.'' --Tennyson.
{Cattle plague}. See {Rinderpest}.
{Plague mark}, {Plague spot}, a spot or mark of the plague;
hence, a token of something incurable.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Plague \Plague\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Plagued}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Plaguing}.]
1. To infest or afflict with disease, calamity, or natural
evil of any kind.
Thus were they plagued And worn with famine.
--Milton.
2. Fig.: To vex; to tease; to harass.
She will plague the man that loves her most.
--Spenser.
Syn: To vex; torment; distress; afflict; harass; annoy;
tease; tantalize; trouble; molest; embarrass; perplex.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
plague
n 1: a serious (sometimes fatal) infection transmitted by the
bite of an infected rat flea (especially bubonic plague)
2: any epidemic disease with a high death rate [syn: {pestilence}]
3: any large scale calamity (especially when thought to be sent
by God)
4: (informal) an annoyance; "those ants are a damn plague"
v 1: cause to suffer a blight; "Too much rain may blight the
garden with mold." [syn: {blight}]
2: annoy continually or chronically; "He is known to harry his
staff when he is overworked" [syn: {harass}, {hassle}, {harry},
{chivy}, {chivvy}, {chevy}, {chevvy}, {beset}, {molest},
{provoke}]
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