(~s, ~ing, ~ed)
1.
When creatures such as insects or rats ~ plants or a place, they are present in large numbers and cause damage.
...pests like aphids which ~ cereal crops.
VERB: V n
~ed
The prison is ~ed with rats...
ADJ: oft ADJ with n
-~ed
...the rat-~ed slums where the plague flourished.
COMB in ADJ
~ation (~ations)
The premises were treated for cockroach ~ation...
N-VAR: oft n N, N of n
2.
If you say that people or things you disapprove of or regard as dangerous are ~ing a place, you mean that there are large numbers of them in that place.
Crime and drugs are ~ing the inner cities.
= overrun
VERB: V n disapproval
~ed
The road further south was ~ed with bandits.
ADJ
-~ed
...the shark-~ed waters of the Great Barrier Reef.
COMB in ADJ