INFECT


Meaning of INFECT in English

in ‧ fect /ɪnˈfekt/ BrE AmE verb [transitive]

[ Word Family: noun : ↑ infection , ↑ disinfectant ; adjective : ↑ infectious , ↑ infected ; verb : ↑ infect ≠ ↑ disinfect ; adverb : ↑ infectiously ]

[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Language: Latin ; Origin: past participle of inficere 'to dip in, stain' ]

1 . to give someone a disease:

People with the virus may feel perfectly well, but they can still infect others.

infect with

the number of people infected with HIV

2 . [usually passive] to make something contain something harmful that gives people a disease

infect with

Eggs known to be infected with salmonella were allowed to go on sale.

3 . if a feeling or interest that you have infects other people, it makes them begin to feel the same way or have the same interest:

Lucy’s enthusiasm soon infected the rest of the class.

4 . if a ↑ virus infects your computer or ↑ disk , it changes or destroys the information in or on it

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.