INFECT


Meaning of INFECT in English

(~s, ~ing, ~ed)

Frequency: The word is one of the 3000 most common words in English.

1.

To ~ people, animals, or plants means to cause them to have a disease or illness.

A single mosquito can ~ a large number of people.

...people ~ed with HIV.

VERB: V n, V-ed, also V n with n

~ion

...plants that are resistant to ~ion.

N-UNCOUNT

2.

To ~ a substance or area means to cause it to contain harmful germs or bacteria.

The birds ~ the milk.

...a virus which is spread mainly by ~ed blood.

= contaminate

VERB: V n, V-ed

3.

When people, places, or things are ~ed by a feeling or influence, it spreads to them.

For an instant I was ~ed by her fear...

He thought they might ~ others with their bourgeois ideas...

His urge for revenge would never ~ her.

VERB: be V-ed by n, V n with n, V n

4.

If a virus ~s a computer, it affects the computer by damaging or destroying programs. (COMPUTING)

This virus ~ed thousands of computers within days.

VERB: V n

Collins COBUILD.      Толковый словарь английского языка для изучающих язык Коллинз COBUILD (международная база данных языков Бирмингемского университета) .