plague
plague1 /pleɪɡ/ 
noun
drops in population levels due to plagues and famines
2. [uncountable] (also the plague) a very infectious disease that produces high fever and swollen places on the body, and often leads to death, especially bubonic plague ⇨ Black Death:
The plague caused 100,000 deaths in London alone in the 1600s.
3. a plague of rats/locusts etc an uncontrolled and harmful increase in the numbers of a particular animal or insect:
A plague of squirrels is threatening our forests.
⇨ avoid somebody/something like the plague at avoid(2)
plague2 verb [transitive]
1. [usually passive] to cause pain, suffering, or trouble to someone, especially for a long period of time
be plagued by/with something
He was plagued by eye troubles.
Financial problems continued to plague the company.
2. to annoy someone, especially by asking for something many times or asking them many questions
plague somebody with something
The kids have been plaguing me with questions.
| I |
noun Date: 1300-1400
Language: Old French
Origin: plage, from Latin plaga 'hit, wound'
1. [countable] a disease that causes death and spreads quickly to a large number of people:Language: Old French
Origin: plage, from Latin plaga 'hit, wound'
2. [uncountable] (also the plague) a very infectious disease that produces high fever and swollen places on the body, and often leads to death, especially bubonic plague ⇨ Black Death:
3. a plague of rats/locusts etc an uncontrolled and harmful increase in the numbers of a particular animal or insect:
⇨ avoid somebody/something like the plague at avoid(2)
| II |
verb [transitive]1. [usually passive] to cause pain, suffering, or trouble to someone, especially for a long period of time
be plagued by/with something
2. to annoy someone, especially by asking for something many times or asking them many questions
plague somebody with something