plague
gb/plˈeɪɡ/ us/plˈeɪɡ/
B2
Inglés
~ 5200
sújt, pusztító járvány, nyaggat, bubópestis, pestis, invázió, elszaporodás, csapás, járvány
VERBO
B2
FORMAL
1
sújt
B2
Patrón de uso:
to plague [someone/something] (with/by [something])
The city has been plagued by traffic jams for decades.
A várost évtizedek óta forgalmi dugók sújtják.
Farmers in the region are plagued with drought year after year.
A térség gazdáit évről évre aszály sújtja.
The company is plagued by technical issues that delay every project.
Her career was plagued by injuries from an early age.
Many countries are plagued by high unemployment and rising prices.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
The town is plagued by crime.
A várost bűnözés sújtja.
The team was plagued with bad luck all season.
A csapatot egész szezonban balszerencse sújtotta.
Our office is plagued by computer problems.
The area is plagued by heavy floods every year.
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes say *"plague on"* instead of *"plague by/with"* in the passive, but the usual forms are *"be plagued by"* or *"be plagued with"*. Also, do not say *"plague to"* someone; use *"plague someone"* directly (e.g., *"The questions plagued him"*).
Significado
to trouble seriously and continuously
Colocaciones
plague [a region]
|plague [the country]
|plagued by problems
|plagued with debt
|plagued by violence
|plagued by corruption
Sinónimos
afflict (More formal and often used specifically for illnesses or serious problems affecting people or places.)
|
torment (Focuses more on strong mental or emotional suffering, sometimes more dramatic in tone.)
Antónimos
relieve (Means to reduce or remove pain or problems, the opposite of causing ongoing trouble.)
|
ease (Suggests making problems or pain less severe, contrasting with making them persist.)
Temas
problems
|health
|society
|news
|daily_life
Definición
To cause strong problems or pain for a person, place, or group for a long time.
To cause serious problems, pain, or suffering to someone or something for a long time.
SUSTANTIVO
B2
2
Patrón de uso:
a plague of [disease] / a plague breaks out
In the Middle Ages, a plague could destroy entire towns.
A középkorban egy pusztító járvány egész városokat pusztíthatott el.
They feared that the mysterious illness might turn into a global plague.
Attól tartottak, hogy a rejtélyes betegség világméretű járvánnyá válhat.
The new vaccine helped to stop the spread of the plague.
Historians still study how the plague changed European society.
The novel imagines a future plague that wipes out most of humanity.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
The plague killed many people in the city.
A járvány sok embert megölt a városban.
Scientists worked hard to stop the plague.
A tudósok keményen dolgoztak azon, hogy megfékezzék a járványt.
The story is about a plague that spreads around the world.
A new plague would be very dangerous for us all.
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes confuse "plague" with the more general words "epidemic" and "pandemic". A "plague" is usually very deadly and often sounds more dramatic or historical. Also, do not confuse "plague" (disease) with "plaque" (a flat piece of metal or a substance on teeth).
Significado
serious, fast-spreading deadly disease
Colocaciones
deadly plague
|spread of the plague
|plague outbreak
|plague epidemic
|wipe out by plague
|plague victims
Sinónimos
epidemic (Any large spread of disease, not always as deadly or historically loaded as "plague".)
|
pandemic (A disease that spreads across many countries or the whole world; broader than a single plague event.)
Antónimos
health (Represents the opposite state: the condition of being well and free from disease.)
|
cure (A solution that ends a disease, contrasting with the disease itself.)
Temas
health
|history
|science
Definición
A very bad disease that moves quickly from person to person or animal to animal and kills many of them.
A very serious infectious disease that spreads quickly and kills many people or animals.
VERBO
B2
3
nyaggat
B2
Patrón de uso:
to plague [someone] (with [questions/requests])
Reporters plagued the actor with questions after the show.
Az előadás után az újságírók kérdésekkel nyaggatták a színészt.
My little brother has been plaguing me for help with his homework all evening.
A kisöcsém egész este azzal nyaggatott, hogy segítsek neki a házi feladatában.
The customer service team was plagued by callers demanding refunds.
She was plagued by relatives asking when she would get married.
Neighbors plagued the council with complaints about the noise.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
Children plagued the teacher with many questions.
A gyerekek rengeteg kérdéssel nyaggatták a tanárt.
The man plagued his friend for money.
A férfi pénzért nyaggatta a barátját.
Fans plagued the singer after the concert.
She plagued her parents to buy her a new phone.
Error frecuente:
Learners may overuse this verb in casual speech where "bother" or "annoy" is more natural. In everyday conversation, "pester" or "keep asking" often sounds more natural than "plague" when talking about small, personal annoyances.
Significado
to bother someone again and again
Colocaciones
plague someone with questions
|plague someone with calls
|plague someone for answers
|plagued her all afternoon
|plague him about his plans
Sinónimos
pester (Very similar, but more common and slightly more informal in everyday speech.)
|
harass (Stronger and more serious; often suggests aggressive or harmful repeated behavior.)
Antónimos
leave alone (Means to stop bothering someone and let them be in peace.)
|
respect (In this context, implies giving someone space and not bothering them with constant demands.)
Temas
communication
|emotions
|daily_life
Definición
To make someone feel annoyed by asking or doing something again and again.
To annoy or bother someone repeatedly, especially by asking many questions or making constant requests.
SUSTANTIVO
C1
TECHNICAL
4
bubópestis
C1
pestis
B2
Patrón de uso:
the Plague / bubonic plague
The bubonic plague killed millions of people in Europe during the 14th century.
A bubópestis a 14. században emberek millióit ölte meg Európában.
Scientists have now identified the bacterium that causes the plague.
A tudósok mára azonosították a pestist okozó baktériumot.
Occasional cases of plague still appear in some rural areas.
Museums display artifacts from the time of the plague.
Many medieval laws were created in response to the plague.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
The Black Death was a type of plague.
A fekete halál a pestis egyik formája volt.
Today, doctors can treat the plague with medicine.
Ma az orvosok gyógyszerekkel tudják kezelni a pestist.
The plague was spread by fleas on rats.
The plague changed the history of Europe.
Error frecuente:
Learners may think the plague only exists in the past, but small numbers of cases still appear in some parts of the world. Also, the word often takes a capital letter when used as a historical name: "the Plague" or "the Black Death".
Significado
the specific disease “the plague”
Colocaciones
the bubonic plague
|the Black Death plague
|plague bacteria
|plague infection
|outbreak of bubonic plague
Sinónimos
bubonic plague (More specific term for the most common form of this disease; often used in medical or historical contexts.)
|
the Black Death (Historical name for the huge plague epidemic in 14th‑century Europe.)
Antónimos
immunity (Refers to resistance to a disease, which is the opposite of being infected by it.)
Temas
health
|science
|history
Definición
A particular disease caused by a germ (bacterium) called Yersinia pestis, which spread in history and killed many people, especially in the Black Death.
The specific infectious disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, usually spread by fleas on rodents and historically known for causing the Black Death.
SUSTANTIVO
B2
5
invázió
B2
elszaporodás
B2
Patrón de uso:
a plague of [animals/things]
Farmers struggled to protect their crops from a plague of locusts.
A gazdák nehezen tudták megvédeni a termésüket a sáskainváziótól.
The city was dealing with a plague of rats in the old sewer system.
A város a régi csatornarendszerben kialakult patkányinvázióval küzdött.
Tourists complained about a plague of mosquitoes near the lake.
The coastline experienced a plague of jellyfish that closed the beaches.
Residents described the sudden appearance of flies as a plague.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
The village had a plague of rats.
A faluban patkányinvázió volt.
A plague of insects ate the plants.
Rovarinvázió pusztította a növényeket.
There was a plague of mosquitoes near the river.
The farm lost many crops because of a plague of locusts.
Error frecuente:
Learners sometimes use "plague" for any large group (e.g., *"a plague of people"*). It is usually used when the animals or things are clearly unwanted and cause real problems, and most often for pests like insects or rats.
Significado
huge, harmful swarm or outbreak
Colocaciones
a plague of locusts
|a plague of rats
|a plague of insects
|a plague of jellyfish
|a plague of mosquitoes
Sinónimos
infestation (Often used for insects or pests in a place like a house or field; more technical, less dramatic than "plague".)
|
swarm (Focuses on a large moving group, especially of insects; does not always imply damage as strongly as "plague".)
Antónimos
scarcity (Means a lack or very small amount of something, the opposite of an overwhelming number.)
|
absence (Complete lack of the animals or things, opposed to their harmful over‑presence.)
Temas
nature
|problems
|environment
|animals
Definición
A very big group of animals or things in one place that causes a lot of problems.
A very large number of animals or things in one place that cause serious damage or problems.
SUSTANTIVO
C1
6
Patrón de uso:
a plague of [problems/conditions]
Some experts call plastic waste a modern plague.
Egyes szakértők a műanyaghulladékot modern kori csapásnak nevezik.
The country is facing a plague of corruption in public office.
Az ország a közhivatalokban elharapózó korrupció csapásával néz szembe.
Many cities struggle with a plague of homelessness.
Online scams have become a new plague for elderly people.
The documentary explores the plague of drug addiction in rural communities.
Ejemplos para estudiantes
Many people say that air pollution is a modern plague.
Sokan úgy tartják, hogy a légszennyezés modern kori csapás.
The city has a plague of crime.
A városban csapássá vált a bűnözés.
Unemployment is a plague for young people in that area.
Some writers call fake news a plague of our time.
Error frecuente:
Learners may overuse this dramatic word for small problems (e.g., *"a plague of homework"*). In this sense, "plague" is usually reserved for serious, large‑scale issues like crime, drugs, or pollution.
Significado
serious and widespread social problem
Colocaciones
a plague of violence
|a plague of poverty
|a modern plague
|the plague of drugs
|a plague of corruption
Sinónimos
scourge (Very close in meaning, often formal and dramatic for something that causes great suffering.)
|
curse (Emotional or figurative; stresses how strongly people hate the problem.)
Antónimos
blessing (Something very good and helpful, opposite of a very bad widespread problem.)
|
solution (Represents the end or fixing of a problem, opposed to the problem itself.)
Temas
society
|problems
|news
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definición
A very bad and common problem that affects many people and causes a lot of trouble.
A very serious and widespread problem in society or daily life that causes great suffering or trouble.
Gramática
Forma de diccionario
plague
AFI
GB/plˈeɪɡ/
US/plˈeɪɡ/
Sílabas y acento
plague (1 sílaba)
Stress on 1st syllable (plague)
Formas de la palabra
Noun
- Base: plague
- Plural: plague, plagues
Verb
- Base: plague
- 3rd Person Singular: plagues
- Present Participle: plaguing
- Past: plagued
Familia de palabras
Forms
plagues
noun
plaguing
verb
plagued
verb
Expresiones
a plague of
1/ə plˈeɪɡ əv/
fixed phrase
a huge harmful number of things
A very big number of animals or things in one place that causes many problems.
Ejemplos
- The farmers faced a plague of insects that destroyed their crops.
- The town complained about a plague of tourists clogging the narrow streets every summer.
- Fishermen reported a plague of jellyfish along the coast this year.
a plague on both your houses
1/ə plˈeɪɡ ˈɔn bˈoʊθ jˈʊɹ hˈaʊzɪz/
idiom
literary
to curse both opposing sides
To say that you hope something bad happens to both sides in a fight or argument, because you are angry with both of them.
Ejemplos
- Frustrated with the endless argument, he shouted, "A plague on both your houses!" and walked out.
- The phrase "a plague on both your houses" comes from Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet."
- Commentators seemed to say "a plague on both your houses" to the two parties after the ugly political debate.
be plagued by
1/bˈi plˈeɪɡd bˈaɪ/
fixed phrase
formal
to suffer from ongoing problems
To have serious problems, pain, or difficulties again and again over a long time because of something.
Ejemplos
- The region is plagued by droughts almost every summer.
- Many large cities are plagued by traffic congestion and air pollution.
- He has been plagued by doubts about his decision.
avoid like the plague
1/əvˈɔɪd lˈaɪk ðə plˈeɪɡ/
idiom
informal
Completely stay away from something
To stay far away from something because you really do not want it.
Ejemplos
- He avoids office gossip like the plague.
- I avoid fast food like the plague since I started my diet.
avoid like the plague
2/əvˈɔɪd lˈaɪk ðə plˈeɪɡ/
idiom
to avoid completely and strongly
To stay far away from someone or something because you think it is very bad or you really do not want it.
Ejemplos
- Since that bad experience, she avoids online dating like the plague.
- I avoid office politics like the plague; I just do my work and go home.
- You should avoid junk food like the plague if you want to stay healthy.