infectadj.¹n.

Brit.

/ɪnˈfɛkt/, U.S.

/ᵻnˈfɛk(t)/

Forms:

α. Middle English infet, Middle English–1500s infecte, Middle English– infect, 1500s infeckt (Scottish).

β. Middle English enfeit, Middle English enffect, late Middle English–1500s enfect, late Middle English–1500s enfecte.

Origin: Of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from French. Partly a borrowing from Latin. Etymons: French enfect; Latin infectus, inficere.

Etymology: < (i) Anglo-Norman enfect, Anglo-Norman and Middle French infect (French infect ) polluted, contaminated (1363; compare Old French enfait : see note below), morally corrupt, depraved, guilty of (a crime, vice, heresy, etc.) (c1370), (of a disease) caused by infection (1533 in the passage translated in quot. ?1541 at sense A. 1b), and its etymon (ii) classical Latin infectus, past participle of inficere infect v. Compare Old Occitan enfect (1478), Spanish infecto (early 15th cent.), Portuguese infeto (15th cent. as infecto ), Italian infetto (14th cent.; also a1306 as †enfetto ). Compare later infected adj.With the β. forms compare Old French enfait poisoned (second half of the 12th or beginning of the 13th cent.; probably an adaptation of classical Latin infectus ) and Anglo-Norman enfect (1388 or earlier). With the form infet compare morphologically naturalized forms of the Middle French adjective, imfait (a1365), infait (1490), infet (c1590). Compare also Middle French infaire (see infect v.).

Now rare. (archaic in later use).

A. adj.¹ = infected adj. and n. Frequently as past participle.

†1.

a. Tainted with disease or organic corruption. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > pollution or defilement > [adjective] > polluted with germs or disease

infecta1382

infected1534

zymotic1881

germy1884

unsterile1892

a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1961) Lev. xiii. 49 A..skyn, ȝif hit were infecte [L. infecta] wiþ wyyte or reed weem, hit shal be holde a lepre.

c1450 Jacob's Well (1900) 5 Corrupt watyr, stynkynge & infecte, of which watyr ȝif þou drynke, or vse, þou schalt be enpoysonyd.

c1475 ( Surg. Treat. in MS Wellcome 564 40^v Lest þat oþere membris schulden be infect by þe infet blood of colere.

1518 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxf. (1880) 18 As well from London as from other infect places.

1525 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles II. cv. [ci.] 306 Dyuers that were enfecte with sickenesse..coulde not scape the peryle of dethe.

1540 Act 32 Hen. VIII c. 13 §7 Any hors gelding or mare infect with scabbe or mange.

1578 J. Rolland Seuin Seages 308 Lipper, quhairwith he is Infect [printed Iufect].

b. Of a disease: caused by infection. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > production of disease > [adjective] > infectious > caused by infection

infect?1541

fermentatious1888

?1541 R. Copland Maner to Examyne Lazares in Guy de Chauliac's Questyonary Cyrurgyens sig. Qij^v Scantly the chylde scapeth lepry, or to be scalled, or tached with suche infecte dyseases [Fr. infectes maladies].

2. Affected materially, usually detrimentally; polluted, contaminated (with blood, poison, a smell, etc.); stained; dimmed. Now rare.

ΘΚΠ

the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > [adjective] > harmed or affected detrimentally

annoyedc1330

infectc1384

palledc1390

harmedc1440

hinderedc1440

weakened1548

maimed1570

interessed1598

crazy1601

impaired1611

wronged1632

appaired1637

deboist1641

sunken1642

vitiated1660

crippled1674

wounded1692

etiolated1847

injured1857

murdered1876

dicked-up1967

the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > pollution or defilement > [adjective]

mixedc1300

pollutea1382

infectc1384

unpurea1398

fouledc1400

drossyc1420

polluteda1425

defouledc1440

dreggyc1440

feculent1471

filed1483

violate?c1500

feding1502

fly-blown1528

cankered1530

defiled1530

contagious1547

dregful1552

contaminatea1555

menstruous1560

dreggish1561

conspurcate1563

empoisoned1581

inquinated?1593

pollutionate1593

fly-bitten1598

impure1598

druggy1599

contaminated1609

transboundary1918

the world > matter > light > darkness or absence of light > dimness or absence of brightness > [adjective] > dimmed

infectc1384

nebulated1486

nubilate?1518

clouded1693

bedimmed1791

dimmed1839

pea-soupy1859

c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) 2 Macc. xii. 16 The pool of stondynge water..infect or meynd [L. infectum], with blood was seen to flowe.

a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xvi. xxxvii. 845 [Electrum] fongeþ soone colour and hiew in what manere a man wille. And so it is soone infecte [L. inficitur] with þe roote of auence.

?c1400 (c1380) G. Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (BL Add. 10340) (1868) iv. met. v. l. 3802 Why þat þe hornes of þe ful[le] moene waxen pale and infect by þe boundes of þe derke nyȝt.

c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) iv. l. 2839 Verrailly vp vn-to þe heuene (As semeth me) infect is þe Eyr, Þe sown þer-of is so foule & vnfair!

tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) i. l. 294 (MED) A gret labour is to correcte A moold in this maner that is enfecte.

1562 Bp. J. Pilkington Expos. Abdyas Pref. sig. A a viij As he that ripes in a dungehyll, is infect with the smell therof a longe time after.

1879 R. F. Burton Land of Midian (Revisited) II. xi. 27 An infect odour of the Quartier Latin everywhere followed us.

1930 M. Pemberton tr. L. Huna Bulls of Rome 121 The soil is infect with poison.

3. Morally corrupted; tainted or contaminated with or guilty of (a fault, defect, or vice). Also culpably involved in (a crime, etc.).In quot. 1898: infected with sedition.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > goodness and badness > wrongdoing > corruption > [adjective]

sickc960

foulOE

unwholec1000

thewlessa1327

corrupt1340

viciousc1340

unwholesomec1374

infecta1387

rustyc1390

unsound?a1400

rottenc1400

rotten-heartedc1405

cankereda1450

infectedc1449

wasted1483

depravate?1520

poisoned1529

deformed1555

poisonous1555

reprobate1557

corrupted1563

prave1564

base-minded1573

tainted1577

Gomorrhean1581

vice-like1589

depraved1593

debauched1598

deboshedc1598

tarish1601

sunk1602

speckled1603

deboist1604

diseased1608

ulcerous1611

vitial1614

debauchc1616

deboise1632

pravous1653

depravea1711

unhealthy1821

scrofulous1842

septic1914

the mind > goodness and badness > badness or evil > worse > [adjective] > declining or deteriorating > in character or quality

infecta1387

palledc1390

rustyc1390

degeneratea1513

withered1561

bastardlike1577

degenerated1581

degenerous1600

bastardized1611

degenerating1611

wormy1611

autumnal1616

blood-shrunk1634

degenered1637

reduced1689

lowered1730

eviscerated1858

labefact1874

disbloomed-

society > morality > moral evil > moral or spiritual degeneration > [adjective] > corrupted or corrupt > tainted or contaminated

infecta1387

leprousa1425

contaminatea1555

contaminated1609

a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1874) V. 341 (MED) He was infecte wiþ þe vice of sodomye.

a1439 J. Lydgate Fall of Princes (Bodl. 263) i. l. 2618 Lond and se..been infect with your cursidnesse.

c1475 (a1449) J. Lydgate Isopes Fabules (Harl.) l. 665 in Minor Poems (1934) ii. 589 A false witnesse hath this avauntage With mowth infect alwey to do damage.

1496 (c1410) Dives & Pauper (de Worde) vi. x. sig. pij^v/1 Woman was lesse infecte in the fyrste pryuaricaconn than was man.

1509 A. Barclay Brant's Shyp of Folys (Pynson) f. vii^v Holsom medicyne which gaue vnto infect myndes frutful doctryne and norisshinge.

1567 Compend. Bk. Godly Songs (1897) 219 Thocht Dauid was the Lordis elect,..With Bethsabe he was infect.

1607 T. Middleton Revengers Trag. iv. sig. H3^v For whose infect perswasions I could scarce Kneele out my prayers.

a1612 J. Harington Brief View Church of Eng. in Nugæ Antiquæ (1804) II. 78 A blynded eye, a closed eare, A hand with bribe infect.

1884 H. D. Traill New Lucian 55 The Church was infect with Imperialism and Legitimism.

1898 W. Besant Changeling xiii. 157 They were in the crowd—the crowd infect and horrible, at the top of the Haymarket.

1939 J. Brophy Gentleman of Stratford xviii. 305 Ofelia may not guess how she is infect with all the wily heritage of women.

†B. n.

With the. Infected people as a group. Obsolete.

ΚΠ

1591 J. Phillips Commemoration on Life & Death of Sir Christopher Hatton 10 That they a salue may day by day prouide, To shielde the good, and cut off the infect.

1617 Machivell's Dogge in E. Farr Sel. Poetry Reign James I (1848) 204 Heale the infect of sinne with oyle of grace.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2012; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

infectv.

Brit.

/ɪnˈfɛkt/, U.S.

/ᵻnˈfɛk(t)/

Forms:

α. Middle English infecte (past tense and past participle), Middle English infecte, Middle English infettynge (present participle), Middle English–1500s infect (past participle), Middle English– infect, 1500s infeckt; Scottish pre-1700 infeck, pre-1700 infect (past tense and past participle), pre-1700 infek, pre-1700 1700s– infect.

β. late Middle English enfecte (past tense, in a late copy), late Middle English–1500s enfect (past participle), late Middle English–1500s enfecte (past participle), late Middle English–1500s enfecte, late Middle English–1600s enfect.

Origin: A borrowing from Latin. Etymons: Latin infect-, inficere.

Etymology: < classical Latin infect-, past participial stem of inficere to dye, to stain, to impregnate, to imbue, to taint, to poison, to affect with disease, to corrupt < in- in- prefix³ + facere to make, do, put (see fact n.). Compare Middle French, French infecter to affect or impregnate (something) with a (frequently noxious) substance, sound, taste, or odour (1374), to corrupt (a person) morally (1431), to affect (a person, animal, or part of the body) with disease (1520); also Spanish infectar (1501 in past participle infectado ), Italian infettare (1514), and also Dutch infecteren (1600). Compare also Middle French infere , infaire (end of the 14th cent.; probably after Middle French infait , infet , adjective: see infect adj.¹), and ( < classical Latin inficere ) early modern Dutch inficeren , inficieeren (1556), German infizieren (16th cent. as †inficieren ), Swedish inficiera (1623; 1619 as †infisciera ). Compare slightly earlier infect adj.¹ and slightly later infection n.In sense 10b after post-classical Latin use of classical Latin inficere (1853 in this sense: J. K. Zeuss Grammatica Celtica (1853) I. 3); compare earlier infection n. 13. In sense 11 perhaps after French infecter (a1544 in Middle French in this sense). With the β. forms, which are not paralleled in French, compare the β. forms at infect adj.¹ and n. and the β. forms at infection n.

1. transitive. To instil in (someone) an opinion or belief, esp. a pernicious one, as heresy or seditious views. Of an (esp. pernicious) opinion, belief, etc.: to persuade, win over (someone); to seduce. In early use also in a good or neutral sense.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > mental capacity > belief > school of thought > acknowledge belief [verb (transitive)] > win over

infecta1387

reduce1546

disciple1645

discipulize1652

to get over1656

convert1814

society > education > teaching > instilling ideas > instil ideas [verb (transitive)] > instil person with ideas

infecta1387

imbue1555

infuse1560

imbrue1565

instil1644

impregnate1652

inoculate1784

indoctrinate1832

brainwash1951

a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1874) V. 115 Þat tyme come up Arrian his heresie, þat infectede [L. infecit]..þe grete londes of þe world.

1483 W. Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende f. ccxxxiij/2 Whan the heresye of the arryans had enfected al Italye.

a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) I. cxxxiii. f. lxix Y^e cursyd Secte of y^t detestable & false prophete Machomet..hath enfectyd .ii. pryncypall partis of y^e worlde.

1559 J. Whyte Serm. in J. Strype Ann. Reformation (1824) I. vii. 154 Books..full of pestilent doctrines, blasphemy and heresy, to infect the people.

1574 G. Scott in E. Farr Sel. Poetry Reign Elizabeth (1845) II. 522 Rome is a cage of birdes uncleane,..Few errours haue the Church infect, That dyd not there begynne.

1588 ‘M. Marprelate’ Oh read ouer D. Iohn Bridges: Epist. 26 Being infected by him with the true knowledge of the gospell.

1660 Exact Accompt Trial Regicides 55 The end of your Speech is nothing, but to infect the People.

1701 F. Atterbury Additions to 1st Ed. Rights Eng. Convocation App. 16 Evil and Seditious Persons infected..with Fantastical and Erroneous Opinions.

1782 J. Priestley Hist. Corruptions Christianity I. i. 23 Philosophical opinions..had then begun to infect the Jews.

1845 Athenæum 29 Nov. 1154/3 Infecting him with the belief that her niece is occasionally insane.

1882 J. H. Blunt Reformation Church of Eng. II. 226 These foreign religionists had infected their English friends..with their opinions.

1902 Daily Chron. 15 May 5/1 The Countess Falthorpe became infected (we use the word in no ill sense) by the doctrines of Whitfield and Wesley.

1915 Scribner's Mag. Feb. 154/2 Infecting those simple people with inflated ideas of their rights.

1953 J. S. Raisin Gentile Reactions to Jewish Ideals xv. 378 The belief infected many of the Arabs.

2010 M. K. Stack Every Man in Village is Liar 3 September 11 came and infected us with the idea that we could..make ourselves perfectly safe.

a. transitive. To taint with crime; to involve in crime or its penalties.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > goodness and badness > wrongdoing > criminality > [verb (transitive)] > make

infecta1398

racketeer1928

society > law > rule of law > lawlessness > break the law [verb (transitive)] > involve in crime

infecta1398

a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. ii. xix. 86 He infectiþ [L. inficit] innocence of goode men with blames and false accusaciouns.

1580 J. Lyly Euphues & his Eng. (new ed.) f. 47 If any Englishman be infected with any misdemeanour.

1602 W. Fulbecke Parallele or Conf. Law i. 79 If one say to an other that he is infected of the robbery and murder lately committed and smels of the murder, an action vpon the case will lye for these wordes.

1651 W. G. tr. J. Cowell Inst. Lawes Eng. 271 Moreover the Issue of Felons is so infected, that they are excluded from all hope or possibility of succeeding in the Inheritances of their Ancestors, which otherwise should have descended to them.

1849 E. G. Wakefield View of Art of Colonization xxiii. 150 In all colonies not infected with crime by convict transportation or banishment, crime is rare in comparison with what it is in this country.

1933 L. L. Jaffe Judicial Aspects Foreign Relations ii. 113 The Barbary states were infected with ‘criminality’ which argues the absence of ‘rational will’.

2009 K. D. Harris Smart on Crime iii. 61 You need to intervene and treat those ‘infected’ by crime, both offenders and victims.

b. transitive. spec. International Law. To taint or contaminate with illegality; to involve (a ship or cargo) in the seizure or forfeiture to which contraband or prohibited goods, or an enemy's ship, are liable. Cf. infection n. 12, infectious adj. 7.

ΘΚΠ

society > law > administration of justice > general proceedings > legal seizure or recovery of property > [verb (transitive)] > confiscate or sequestrate to state > seize as contraband > make liable to seizure

infecta1758

a1758 Sir G. Lee in F. T. Pratt Law of Contraband (1856) 170 Soap and potashes are not contraband, but as they belong to the same owners..they by law are liable to confiscation by being infected by the contraband.

1817 W. Cranch Rep. Supreme Court U.S. 9 429 It has been inferred on the one side that the goods would be infected by the resistance of the ship.

1879 T. D. Woolsey tr. Treaty of Utrecht in Introd. Internat. Law (ed. 5) §198. 342 The ship itself, as well as the other goods found therein, are to be esteemed free, neither may they be detained on pretense of their being, as it were, infected by the prohibited goods.

1918 Yale Law Jrnl. 27 842 A certain proportion of contraband on a vessel infects the vessel itself.

1963 Internat. Law Stud. 56 ii. v. 367 Contraband carried on a vessel infected noncontraband under the same ownership, rendering the noncontraband subject to condemnation.

2002 C. J. Nolan Greenwood Encycl. Internat. Relations II. 786 Contraband is said to ‘infect’ noncontraband goods on the same ship so that the latter may also be rightfully seized by a belligerent.

a. transitive. To affect or impregnate with a (frequently noxious) substance, sound, taste, or odour; to pollute; to taint.

ΘΚΠ

the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > condition or state of being mixed or blended > mix or blend [verb (transitive)] > add as ingredient to a mixture > qualify by admixture > impregnate

infecta1398

interfuse1593

imbue1594

impregnate1605

imbibe1622

impregn1652

embryonate1666

a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xviii. ix. 1127 He infecteþ wiþ venym eueryche welle þat he comeþ nygh.

c1405 (c1395) G. Chaucer Canon's Yeoman's Tale (Ellesmere) (1875) l. 889 Though a man a Mile from hem be The sauour wole infecte [c1440 Egerton 2726 enfecte] hym truste me.

c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 16^v And he Enfecte the ffirmament with his felle noise.

1553 R. Eden tr. S. Münster Treat. Newe India sig. Evj^v They vse also to infect theyr arrowes with venime.

1563 W. Fulke Goodle Gallerye Causes Meteors v. f. 64^v Salt..is first generated, in the earth, after commeth the water of the sea, and is infected with it.

1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. 44 The nature of the earth infecteth the waters, as it were, with some strong medicine.

1613 S. Purchas Pilgrimage 646 He tempered a poyson for that purpose, with which a weapon infected, drawing never so little bloud, did kill.

1651 A. Ross Arcana Microcosmi i. v. 175 The flesh of Castrated Animals is more delicate, because there is in them more benigne juyce, neither is their flesh infected with the ungrateful and rankish relish of the Testicles.

1680 R. Boyle Sceptical Chymist (new ed.) i. 68 Upon the unluting the Vessels it infected the Room with a scarce supportable stink.

1729 G. Shelvocke Jr. tr. K. Siemienowicz Great Art Artillery iv. 293 Balls may be infected with Venom, not by pouring any into an Hole made to receive it, as some would have it.

1765 tr. in Foreign Ess. Agric. & Arts 227 Without injuring the quality of the Butter, or infecting it with any taste whatever.

1824 A. Henderson Hist. Wines 344 [It] is apt to infect the liquor with a medicinal taste.

1853 E. K. Kane U.S. Grinnell Exped. xxxiii. 288 Our snow-water has been infected for the past month by a very perceptible flavor and odor of musk.

1912 H. C. Hoover & L. H. Hoover tr. Georgius Agricola De Re Metallica vi. 215 Here the air is infected with poison.

1964 C. S. Kilby Christian World C. S. Lewis vii. 187 The whole vegetable system of the country..was infected with the taste of wild apples.

2006 ‘A. Elyot’ By a Lady 38 C.J. was afraid to sit on the only bed in the room.., not to avoid discomfort, but to refrain from infecting it with her stench.

b. transitive. To dye, tinge, colour, stain.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > colour > colouring > colour [verb (transitive)]

dyea1000

huec1000

litc1230

coloura1325

paint?c1335

infecta1398

taint1471

recolour1566

becolour1567

tinct1594

colorate1599

colourize1611

tincture1616

tint1791

encolour1850

pigment1896

a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. viii. xxxi. 514 Þanne it happiþ þat þerþe is euene isette aforn þe sonne in a certein maner asigned, it makeþ þe schadewe strecche so hiȝe þat it rechiþ to þe moone, and infectiþ þe mone, and makeþ eclips þerof.

1495 Trevisa's Bartholomeus De Proprietatibus Rerum (de Worde) xvi. xxxvii. sig. L.j/2 [Electrum] receyueth sone colour & hewe in what manere a man woll. And so it is soone enfected [a1398 BL Add. infecte; L. inficitur]..wyth Percyl.

1623 W. Lisle in tr. Ælfric Saxon Treat. Old & New Test. Ded. xxvi Nor shall we more with artificiall hew, Infect our fells, by teaching them to faine What Nature gaue not.

1633 P. Fletcher Purple Island ii. xvii. 21 His native beautie is a lilie white, Which still some other colour'd stream infecteth.

1691 J. Ray Wisdom of God 171 To those that have the Jaundice..Objects appear of that same Color wherewith their Eyes are infected.

1734 Philos. Trans. 1733–4 (Royal Soc.) 38 240 The juice in the capsula.., becoming yellow, and spreading over the segments of the fruit, infected them with that colour, and so changed them.

1789 T. Taylor Hist. Restoration Platonic Theol. in tr. Proclus Philos. & Math. Comm. II. 262 Just as it happens to those who ascend the highest mountains, where the earth is yellow: for they are immediately infected with the colour, and become similar to the earth, to which they ascend.

1808 T. Taylor tr. Aristotle Generation Animals ii. vii. 328 The eyes are anointed with a coloured liquor; and if the saliva of the mouth is infected with that colour.

1866 Fortn. Rev. 1 Apr. 417 The fine variety of Portland is indeed easily infected with the black tint, but it washes easily where exposed to the rain.

1951 H. R. Zimmer Philos. India iii. i. 249 The flow entering the clear body darkens it, infecting it with the color..corresponding to the moral character of the committed act.

2006 P. Ekert Avid Liquid 7 xi. 370 Try not to let any other colors infect this sample.

a. transitive. To cause disease in; to affect (a person, animal, plant, part of the body, etc.) with (or †of) disease or a disease, esp. one of an epidemic nature; to transmit a disease to. In later use also: to transmit the causative agent of a disease to; (of a microorganism or other biological agent) to enter and become established within (the body, an organ, a cell, etc.), esp. so as to cause disease. Occasionally also intransitive. Cf. infection n. 4.

ΘΚΠ

the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > production of disease > make diseased [verb (transitive)] > infect

infecta1398

touch?c1400

smit1428

file1456

disease1467

fect?1541

tache?1541

tack1601

smittle1625

a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. v. lxiv. 287 Þat matere abidiþ vndir þe skyn, and chaungiþ and infectiþ þe skyn [L. superinducit infectionem aliquem]..wiþ icchinge.

c1475 in Coll. Ordinances Royal Househ. (Harl. 642) (1790) 43 If any of this courte be infected with leperiȝ or pestylence.

1481 in J. Fullarton Rec. Burgh Prestwick (1834) 29 Andro Sauer is fundin daili reperand to Kingcase..& is abill till infect the hale toune, & weris þe seik folkis clathis & bonnettis.

1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VIII f. clxxvj^v Neither he nor the quene nor none of their company was enfected of y^e disease.

?1548 J. Bale Comedy Thre Lawes Nature ii. sig. Aviij^v The ayre whych geueth breathe, Sumtyme infecteth to deathe.

1610 P. Holland tr. W. Camden Brit. i. 574 A Lazarhouse of women in Wilt-shire, which one of the said sisters, being her selfe infected with the Leprosie built for them that had the same disease.

1628 G. Wither Britain's Remembrancer ii. 449 Right so, this Plague..infects (At such or such a distance) ev'ry one.

1657 W. Coles Adam in Eden ix. 20 That is to say, Sage, Castory,..Lavender, Primrose, Watercresse, and Tansie, cure and heal Members infected with the Palsie.

1709 J. Sintelaer Scourge Venus & Mercury 42 It is very rare even in Women, to be infected with the Venereal Gonorrhœa without the Appearance of some or other of these Symptoms and Signs.

1759 J. Lauder Decisions I. 406 Anent the horse infected with the mord de chien.

1792 J. Sinclair Statist. Acct. Scotl. IV. 267 The pernicious quality of a species of grass to the health of the sheep..infecting them with a disease called the Vanquish.

1800 J. Bell Answer to Memorial J. Gregory ii. 38 It [sc. hospital-gangrene]..rages twice a year in such a degree, that the nurses even are infected; the slightest scratch in their fingers turns out a most formidable sore.

1876 T. Bryant Pract. Surg. (ed. 2) I. ii. 78 It should never be forgotten that it is the virus which infects the system.

1899 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. VIII. 872 Mothers and wet-nurses suffering from the disease..infecting their nurslings.

1903 P. Manson Trop. Dis. (rev. ed.) i. xii. 195 The same insects rarely failed to infect when set to bite non-immunes at any time subsequent to the twelfth day after their yellow fever blood meal.

1989 Jrnl. Royal Soc. Med. 82 519/1 Viral species tend to be restricted to the host animal species which they infect.

1994 Jrnl. Invertebr. Pathol. 64 232/2 We planned..to use confirmation bioassays with mosquitos to verify the zoospores' ability to infect.

2001 Genre May 65/1 If you're in an HIV sero-discordant relationship, there will always be the fear that the HIV-positive individual will infect his HIV-negative partner.

2011 Independent 23 Mar. 15/3 Dog ticks can be infected with diseases that, if left untreated, can damage the heart and nervous system of humans.

b. transitive. In figurative and extended use.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > aspects of emotion > effect produced on emotions > infectious quality of emotion > infect with emotion [verb (transitive)]

infectc1430

c1430 (c1386) G. Chaucer Legend Good Women (Cambr. Gg.4.27) (1879) l. 2242 Ȝit lestyth the venym of so longe ago That it enfectyth [c1450 Fairf. infecteth] hym that wele [c1500 Trin. Cambr. wyll] be-holde The storye of Therius.

1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VII f. xxx She compassed, ymagened, and inuented how..to infect his whole realme with a pestiferous discorde.

a1605 (c1422) T. Hoccleve Complaint (Durh.) l. 235 in Minor Poems (1970) i. 103 This grevous venyme that had enfectyd and wildyd my brayne.

1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Æneis ii, in tr. Virgil Wks. 256 With a Son's death t'infect a Father's sight.

1707 I. Watts Hymns ii. cliii, in Poet. Wks. IV. 148 Sin like a venomous disease Infects our vital blood.

1785 W. Cowper Task v. 606 All the plagues with which his sins Infect his happiest moments.

1820 P. B. Shelley Prometheus Unbound iii. iv. 118 The wretch crept a vampire among men, Infecting all with his own hideous ill.

1899 A. White Mod. Jew ii. 37 The poisonous Jewish Question infected her life-blood.

1939 Daily Mail 12 Apr. 8/4 This sickly sentimental panda plague has infected far more people than can ever hope to eye it in the flesh.

1981 Times 1 Apr. 14/5 There is a poison infecting society and it must be rooted out.

2004 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 26 Feb. 29/1 Young human minds can be infected by religion viruses.

c. transitive. Computing. To affect with a virus or other form of malware.In quot. 1972 in a science fiction context.

ΘΚΠ

society > computing and information technology > programming language > program or code > [verb (transitive)] > affect with virus

infect1972

1972 ‘D. Gerrold’ When Harlie was One 176 One machine could infect another and then both would be infected, dialing numbers at random until ultimately every phone-link computer in the world would be infected.

1984 J. H. Finch & E. G. Dougall Computer Security 144 We define a computer ‘virus’ as a program that can ‘infect’ other programs by modifying them to include a possibly evolved copy of itself.

1996 Computer Weekly 29 Aug. 4/5 The Hare.7610 virus..infects boot disc sectors and program files.

2010 New Yorker 1 Nov. 48/3 In July, there were reports that a computer worm, known as Stuxnet, had infected thousands of computers worldwide.

5. transitive. To taint or contaminate (a person or thing) with moral corruption; to deprave; to exert a bad influence upon character or habits.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > goodness and badness > wrongdoing > corruption > [verb (transitive)]

forbraidc888

besmiteeOE

awemOE

filec1175

soila1250

envenomc1300

beshrewc1325

shrew1338

corrumpa1340

corrupt1382

subvertc1384

tache1390

poison1395

infect?c1400

intoxicatec1450

deprave1482

corrup1483

rust1493

turkess?1521

vitiate1534

prevary?1541

depravate1548

fester?1548

turkish1560

wry1563

taint1573

disalter1579

prevaricate1595

sophisticate1597

invitiate1598

fashion1600

tack1601

debauch1603

deturpate1623

disaltern1635

ulcer1642

deboise1654

Neronize1673

demoralize1794

bedevil1800

society > morality > moral evil > moral or spiritual degeneration > degrading or impairing morally > degrade or impair morally [verb (transitive)] > corrupt > taint or infect

smiteeOE

besmiteeOE

smitOE

besmita1250

empoisonc1400

fadec1400

infect?c1400

attainta1529

leaven1534

inquinate1542

contaminate1563

taint1573

tack1601

beleper?a1625

?c1400 (c1380) G. Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (BL Add. 10340) (1868) iv. pr. iii. l. 3437 Þe [vtteriste wikkednesse..]..ne defouliþ nat ne entecehiþ nat hem oonly but infectiþ [L. infecit] and enuenemyþ hem gretely.

a1475 J. Russell Bk. Nurture (Harl. 4011) in Babees Bk. (2002) i. 199 Now, good god, graunt vs grace oure sowles neuer to Infecte!

1483 tr. Adam of Eynsham Reuelation xxvii With her wyckydnes they haue al moste enfecte & cumbrid alle the howse.

1535 W. Stewart tr. H. Boethius Bk. Cron. Scotl. (1858) II. 245 He wes..Infectit far with auerice that syn.

1578 J. Lyly Euphues f. 61^v Wee shoulde not speake of manners or vertue, to those whose mindes are infected with vice.

1633 J. Ford Loves Sacrifice iv. sig. H2^v More base in the infinitenesse of her sensuality, Then corruption can infect.

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost x. 608 Till I [sc. Satan] in Man residing..His thoughts, his looks, words, actions all infect .

1751 S. Johnson Rambler No. 155. ⁋12 Indolence is..one of the vices from which those whom it infects are seldom reformed.

1753 T. Smollett Ferdinand Count Fathom I. viii. 46 He must be furiously infected with the rage of patronizing, who could take such a deplorable performance into his protection.

1833 C. F. Crusé tr. Eusebius Eccl. Hist. (ed. 2) ii. i. 50 These, after the manner of their founder,..infected those with the greatest corruption.

1898 Expositor 10 383 We are all at once infected with the pride and hypocrisy which fill these men.

1922 W. M. West Story Amer. Democracy 696 Other countries were infected with imperialistic greed.

1978 J. Senior Death Christian Culture i. 9 The pederastic lust infecting all Greek art and athletics.

2007 J. R. Payton Light from Christian East vi. 113 Every element of human nature is infected by depravity.

6. transitive. To make (air, water, etc.) injurious to health; to contaminate with the causative agent of (a) disease. Cf. infection n. 2.

ΘΚΠ

the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > pollution or defilement > pollute or defile [verb (transitive)]

afileeOE

besmiteeOE

shenda950

befilec1000

bisulienc1200

defoulc1320

file1340

foilc1380

smota1387

lime1390

solwea1400

surda1400

infectc1425

filtha1450

poison?a1513

defile1530

polluve1533

inquinate1542

pollute1548

contaminate1563

bumfiddlec1595

impure1598

conspurcate1600

defoil1601

sullya1616

vilify1615

deturpate1623

impiate1623

defedate1628

dreg1628

contemerate1650

spot1741

empoison1775

c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) iv. l. 98 (MED) Þe dede bodies..Fro day to day infecten so þe eyre Þoruȝ þe feld engendringe pestilence.

1534 T. Paynell tr. Moche Profitable Treat. against Pestilence i. sig. A.ii^v The aire is infectyd & charged with infectyd and poyson vapours.

1542 A. Borde Compend. Regyment Helth iii. sig. B.iv Many thynges doth infect, putryfye, and corrupteth the ayre.

1658 G. Starkey Natures Explic. 92 Those endemical malignant vapours, which infect the air.

1717 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. 1 Apr. (1965) I. 338 There are many that 'scape of it [sc. the plague], neither is the air ever infected.

1839 C. Dickens Nicholas Nickleby lxii. 607 Throw me on a dunghill, and let me rot there, to infect the air!

1860 F. Nightingale Notes on Nursing (rev. ed.) 89 A dirty carpet literally infects the room.

1917 H. N. Parker City Milk Supply 167 Fecal pollutions may infect the water with bacteria and animal parasites that cause diseases of stock or more likely of man.

1958 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 11 Jan. 78/1 From such investigations it would seem that breathing during 10 hours would at most infect the air with 100 or so Staph. aureus infected particles.

2008 M. Geiger-Bronsky & D. J. Wilson Respiratory Nursing xxi. 259 Viral pneumonias—..spread from person to person by direct deposit of droplets infected with the virus on mucosal membranes.

†7. transitive. To affect (a thing) detrimentally or unpleasantly; to spoil or corrupt with some addition or alloy; to adulterate. Obsolete.

ΘΚΠ

the world > matter > condition of matter > bad condition of matter > cause bad condition in [verb (transitive)]

infect?1440

poison?a1513

violate1555

spoil1563

vitiate1572

waste1572

adulterc1384

feigna1398

sophisticatec1400

infect?1440

counterfeit1495

adulterate?1526

dash1548

falsify1562

elay1573

abuse1574

base1581

corrupt1581

debase1591

adulterize1593

compass1594

sophisticate1604

allay1634

huckster1642

hucksterize1646

cauponize1652

alloy1661

balderdash1674

impurify1693

doctor1726

vitiate1728

sand1851

dope1898

tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) vi. l. 177 (MED) At Mayes eende a solar is to paue, And rather [earlier] not, lest frostis hit enfecte.

1563 W. Fulke Goodle Gallerye Causes Meteors v. f. 67 Copper..geueth waye to corruption, beyng infected with that greane minerall copperus.

1576 G. Gascoigne Steele Glas sig. H.iiii When pewterers, infect no Tin with leade.

1590 T. Lodge Rosalynde: Euphues Golden Legacie (Collier) 100 The synople tree, whose blossomes delight the smell, and whose fruit infects the taste.

1600 B. Jonson Every Man out of his Humor Epil. sig. Riii^v Our Citties Torrent (bent t'infect The hallow'd bowels of the siluer Thames).

1693 J. Dryden tr. Persius Satires vi. 80 Our sweating Hinds their Sallads, now, defile; Infecting homely Herbs with fragrant Oyl.

1778 W. Pryce Mineralogia Cornubiensis 237 Gray Ores are generally the heaviest of all, and are commonly infected with Iron.

8. intransitive. To become infected (in various senses). Now rare.Apparently not attested in the 17th and 18th centuries.In quot. ?1440: to deteriorate.

ΘΚΠ

society > morality > moral evil > moral or spiritual degeneration > degenerate [verb (intransitive)] > become corrupt > become infected

infectc1540

the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > production of disease > produce disease [verb (intransitive)] > become infected

infect1584

tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) xi. l. 350 Lest they [sc. wines] enfecte, is ferther now to trete.

a1513 W. Dunbar Poems (1998) I. 115 Thir terribill monstris sall togiddir thrist..Quhill all the air infect of thair poysoun.

c1540 Image Ipocrysy iv, in J. Skelton Poet. Wks. (1843) II. 439 Nowe with sondry sectes The world sore infectes.

1584 T. Cogan Hauen of Health ccxliii. 281 All infected in a manner at one instant, by reason of a dampe or miste which arose.

1636 A. Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae (new ed.) 1354 Looke what he lackes for reliefe Ere furth he infect.

1906 Amer. Jrnl. Clin. Med. Mar. 392/1 The ink was sterile but the wounds infected later.

1999 P. Bowen Long Son 92 Face wounds infect so readily.

9. transitive. To affect (esp. a person) with some quality, esp. a feeling, to communicate a feeling to (a person). Of a feeling: to take hold of (someone).

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > aspects of emotion > quality of affecting the emotions > affect with emotion [verb (transitive)]

rineOE

afaite?c1225

stir?c1225

movea1325

amovec1380

inspire1390

commove1393

informa1398

toucha1400

embracec1430

rore1481

alter1529

to carry away?1529

raise1533

removea1540

heavec1540

affect?1548

carry1570

inmove1583

infecta1586

worka1616

unthaw1699

emove1835

emotionize1855

emotion1875

the mind > emotion > aspects of emotion > effect produced on emotions > have an effect on [verb (transitive)]

gravec1374

bitec1400

rapt?1577

infecta1586

to come (also get, go) home to1625

to screw up1644

strike1672

strikea1701

impress1736

to touch up1796

to burn into1823

knock1883

impressionize1894

the mind > emotion > aspects of emotion > quality of affecting the emotions > affect with emotion [verb (transitive)] > seize or strike (of an emotion)

assaila1393

supprisea1413

strike1533

infecta1586

seize1845

a1586 Sir P. Sidney Arcadia (1590) ii. vii. f. 133 A monstrous crie..was able to infect with feare a minde that had not preuented it with the power of reason.

a1616 W. Shakespeare King John (1623) iv. iii. 69 A holy Vow..Neuer to taste the pleasures of the world, Neuer to be infected with delight.

1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost i. 453 The Love-tale Infected Sions daughters with like heat.

1706 Ld. Godolphin Let. 11 July in H. L. Snyder Marlborough–Godolphin Corr. (1975) II. 656 I dare not troble you with enlarging upon this subject, for fear of infecting you, with some part of my spleen.

1765 H. Walpole Castle of Otranto ii. 52 Your terrors, I suppose, have infected me.

1828 W. Scott Fair Maid of Perth xi, in Chron. Canongate 2nd Ser. III. 315 The frenzy of rage and despair, infected next the minstrels.

1885 M. Collins Prettiest Woman in Warsaw I. vii. 119 Her gaiety infected him.

1917 A. French Hiding-places 18 Her fear infected me.

1956 L. Durrell Justine i. 72 Yet the living can't do without us. We infect them with a desire to experience more, to grow.

2010 Independent 20 Feb. 37/3 I am infected by the new adversariality of American politics.

10.

a. transitive. To affect or influence (a person or thing) with some quality, or by the introduction of some extraneous (frequently negative) element. Of a quality: to affect or influence (a person or thing).

ΘΚΠ

the world > existence and causation > existence > intrinsicality or inherence > introduction or bringing in > introduce or bring something in [verb (transitive)] > infuse

sheda1325

bedew1340

distil1393

informa1398

transfusec1425

pourc1451

infudea1500

infuse1526

tan1530

colour1536

suck1549

imbrue1565

dewc1572

inspire1576

steep1603

infect1605

imbreathe1609

impregn1652

transfund1670

influence1691

bleed1866

render1885

taste1904

1605 F. Bacon Of Aduancem. Learning i. sig. G2 Men haue vsed to infect their meditations, opinions, and doctrines with some conceits which they haue most admired.

a1680 S. Butler Genuine Remains (1759) II. 217 His Muse is not inspired but infected with another Man's Fancy.

1750 S. Johnson Rambler No. 71. ⁋9 Forgetfulness of the fragility of life has remarkably infected the students of monuments.

1769 J. Reynolds Disc. Royal Acad. (1778) 17 I speak of it from experience, not as an error which may possibly happen, but which has actually infected all foreign Academies.

1830 J. F. W. Herschel Prelim. Disc. Study Nat. Philos. 109 The perverse and flimsy style of verbal disputation which had infected all learning.

1883 J. A. Froude Short Stud. IV. i. v. 56 The enthusiasm of the biographers for their master and his cause infects every line of their narratives.

1915 E. Herman Meaning & Value of Mysticism ix. 247 Our religious life and literature are infected with a curious cult of the spiritual babe, which very often runs to an attitude of sheer babyishness.

1974 S. P. Kanal Ethics of Devatma xxxv. 315 Apart from this limitation in relation to love of goodness, human altruism is infected with an element of untruth.

2009 New Yorker 19 Oct. 83/2 One of the latest catchphrases to infect parental discourse is an admonishment against greed.

b. transitive. spec. Of a sound: to affect and alter the quality of a sound in a neighbouring syllable, esp. in Celtic languages. Cf. infection n. 13.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > language > linguistics > study of speech sound > speech sound > sound changes > [verb (transitive)] > infect

infect1872

1872 [implied in: W. Stokes Goidelica (ed. 2) 112 Infected g, d, t are dropped, as in bri(gh)te, blie(dh)nec..be(th)ad. (at infected adj. 4)].

1885 Stokes in Trans. Philol. Soc. 179 [Final] -a (Indo-European ā) is lost, but infects a following consonant and breaks a preceding i or u.

1941 B. Haile Learning Navaho I. 32 The nasal quality of n or m infects the following vowel.

2006 C. Yang Infinite Gift v. 81 The last vowel of the first root..infects every vowel that follows.

11. transitive. To infest (a place, person, clothing, etc.). Of insects: to set upon, to swarm over (an animal).

ΘΚΠ

the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > plague or pestilence > cause plague or pestilence [verb (transitive)]

plaguec1595

pestilence1598

infect1607

empesta1612

1607 E. Topsell Hist. Foure-footed Beastes 226 Foxes are annoied with many enemies, and..the small flies..called gnats do much trouble and infect them.

1655 H. L'Estrange Reign King Charles 130 His coasts were..infected with Pickroons, Turks, and Dunkirk-Pirats to the great dammage of traffique.

1712 W. Rogers Cruising Voy. 319 Much infected with Serpents, Moskitto's, and other Insects.

1797 Lady's Mag. Feb. 83/1 There is a part of the country..very much infected with robbers and murderers.

1832 Day (Glasgow) 3 Apr. 320/2 Three wards of that house..were infected with bugs.

1881 Amer. Bee Jrnl. 13 Apr. 115/3 If the building is infected with mice, trap them all.

1907 C. N. Williamson & A. M. Williamson Car of Destiny xxxiii. 282 A lonely place known to be infected with brigands.

1950 Life 25 Sept. 83/1 For weeks, they never got out of their clothes and became hopelessly dirty and infected with vermin.

2010 F. Dikötter Mao's Great Famine 149 Filthy canteens infected with insects and rodents.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2012; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	infect
释义	infectadj.¹n. Brit. /ɪnˈfɛkt/, U.S. /ᵻnˈfɛk(t)/ Forms: α. Middle English infet, Middle English–1500s infecte, Middle English– infect, 1500s infeckt (Scottish). β. Middle English enfeit, Middle English enffect, late Middle English–1500s enfect, late Middle English–1500s enfecte. Origin: Of multiple origins. Partly a borrowing from French. Partly a borrowing from Latin. Etymons: French enfect; Latin infectus, inficere. Etymology: < (i) Anglo-Norman enfect, Anglo-Norman and Middle French infect (French infect ) polluted, contaminated (1363; compare Old French enfait : see note below), morally corrupt, depraved, guilty of (a crime, vice, heresy, etc.) (c1370), (of a disease) caused by infection (1533 in the passage translated in quot. ?1541 at sense A. 1b), and its etymon (ii) classical Latin infectus, past participle of inficere infect v. Compare Old Occitan enfect (1478), Spanish infecto (early 15th cent.), Portuguese infeto (15th cent. as infecto ), Italian infetto (14th cent.; also a1306 as †enfetto ). Compare later infected adj.With the β. forms compare Old French enfait poisoned (second half of the 12th or beginning of the 13th cent.; probably an adaptation of classical Latin infectus ) and Anglo-Norman enfect (1388 or earlier). With the form infet compare morphologically naturalized forms of the Middle French adjective, imfait (a1365), infait (1490), infet (c1590). Compare also Middle French infaire (see infect v.). Now rare. (archaic in later use). A. adj.¹ = infected adj. and n. Frequently as past participle. †1. a. Tainted with disease or organic corruption. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > pollution or defilement > [adjective] > polluted with germs or disease infecta1382 infected1534 zymotic1881 germy1884 unsterile1892 a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1961) Lev. xiii. 49 A..skyn, ȝif hit were infecte [L. infecta] wiþ wyyte or reed weem, hit shal be holde a lepre. c1450 Jacob's Well (1900) 5 Corrupt watyr, stynkynge & infecte, of which watyr ȝif þou drynke, or vse, þou schalt be enpoysonyd. c1475 ( Surg. Treat. in MS Wellcome 564 40^v Lest þat oþere membris schulden be infect by þe infet blood of colere. 1518 in W. H. Turner Select. Rec. Oxf. (1880) 18 As well from London as from other infect places. 1525 Ld. Berners tr. J. Froissart Cronycles II. cv. [ci.] 306 Dyuers that were enfecte with sickenesse..coulde not scape the peryle of dethe. 1540 Act 32 Hen. VIII c. 13 §7 Any hors gelding or mare infect with scabbe or mange. 1578 J. Rolland Seuin Seages 308 Lipper, quhairwith he is Infect [printed Iufect]. b. Of a disease: caused by infection. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > production of disease > [adjective] > infectious > caused by infection infect?1541 fermentatious1888 ?1541 R. Copland Maner to Examyne Lazares in Guy de Chauliac's Questyonary Cyrurgyens sig. Qij^v Scantly the chylde scapeth lepry, or to be scalled, or tached with suche infecte dyseases [Fr. infectes maladies]. 2. Affected materially, usually detrimentally; polluted, contaminated (with blood, poison, a smell, etc.); stained; dimmed. Now rare. ΘΚΠ the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > [adjective] > harmed or affected detrimentally annoyedc1330 infectc1384 palledc1390 harmedc1440 hinderedc1440 weakened1548 maimed1570 interessed1598 crazy1601 impaired1611 wronged1632 appaired1637 deboist1641 sunken1642 vitiated1660 crippled1674 wounded1692 etiolated1847 injured1857 murdered1876 dicked-up1967 the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > pollution or defilement > [adjective] mixedc1300 pollutea1382 infectc1384 unpurea1398 fouledc1400 drossyc1420 polluteda1425 defouledc1440 dreggyc1440 feculent1471 filed1483 violate?c1500 feding1502 fly-blown1528 cankered1530 defiled1530 contagious1547 dregful1552 contaminatea1555 menstruous1560 dreggish1561 conspurcate1563 empoisoned1581 inquinated?1593 pollutionate1593 fly-bitten1598 impure1598 druggy1599 contaminated1609 transboundary1918 the world > matter > light > darkness or absence of light > dimness or absence of brightness > [adjective] > dimmed infectc1384 nebulated1486 nubilate?1518 clouded1693 bedimmed1791 dimmed1839 pea-soupy1859 c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) 2 Macc. xii. 16 The pool of stondynge water..infect or meynd [L. infectum], with blood was seen to flowe. a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xvi. xxxvii. 845 [Electrum] fongeþ soone colour and hiew in what manere a man wille. And so it is soone infecte [L. inficitur] with þe roote of auence. ?c1400 (c1380) G. Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (BL Add. 10340) (1868) iv. met. v. l. 3802 Why þat þe hornes of þe ful[le] moene waxen pale and infect by þe boundes of þe derke nyȝt. c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) iv. l. 2839 Verrailly vp vn-to þe heuene (As semeth me) infect is þe Eyr, Þe sown þer-of is so foule & vnfair! tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) i. l. 294 (MED) A gret labour is to correcte A moold in this maner that is enfecte. 1562 Bp. J. Pilkington Expos. Abdyas Pref. sig. A a viij As he that ripes in a dungehyll, is infect with the smell therof a longe time after. 1879 R. F. Burton Land of Midian (Revisited) II. xi. 27 An infect odour of the Quartier Latin everywhere followed us. 1930 M. Pemberton tr. L. Huna Bulls of Rome 121 The soil is infect with poison. 3. Morally corrupted; tainted or contaminated with or guilty of (a fault, defect, or vice). Also culpably involved in (a crime, etc.).In quot. 1898: infected with sedition. ΘΚΠ the mind > goodness and badness > wrongdoing > corruption > [adjective] sickc960 foulOE unwholec1000 thewlessa1327 corrupt1340 viciousc1340 unwholesomec1374 infecta1387 rustyc1390 unsound?a1400 rottenc1400 rotten-heartedc1405 cankereda1450 infectedc1449 wasted1483 depravate?1520 poisoned1529 deformed1555 poisonous1555 reprobate1557 corrupted1563 prave1564 base-minded1573 tainted1577 Gomorrhean1581 vice-like1589 depraved1593 debauched1598 deboshedc1598 tarish1601 sunk1602 speckled1603 deboist1604 diseased1608 ulcerous1611 vitial1614 debauchc1616 deboise1632 pravous1653 depravea1711 unhealthy1821 scrofulous1842 septic1914 the mind > goodness and badness > badness or evil > worse > [adjective] > declining or deteriorating > in character or quality infecta1387 palledc1390 rustyc1390 degeneratea1513 withered1561 bastardlike1577 degenerated1581 degenerous1600 bastardized1611 degenerating1611 wormy1611 autumnal1616 blood-shrunk1634 degenered1637 reduced1689 lowered1730 eviscerated1858 labefact1874 disbloomed- society > morality > moral evil > moral or spiritual degeneration > [adjective] > corrupted or corrupt > tainted or contaminated infecta1387 leprousa1425 contaminatea1555 contaminated1609 a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1874) V. 341 (MED) He was infecte wiþ þe vice of sodomye. a1439 J. Lydgate Fall of Princes (Bodl. 263) i. l. 2618 Lond and se..been infect with your cursidnesse. c1475 (a1449) J. Lydgate Isopes Fabules (Harl.) l. 665 in Minor Poems (1934) ii. 589 A false witnesse hath this avauntage With mowth infect alwey to do damage. 1496 (c1410) Dives & Pauper (de Worde) vi. x. sig. pij^v/1 Woman was lesse infecte in the fyrste pryuaricaconn than was man. 1509 A. Barclay Brant's Shyp of Folys (Pynson) f. vii^v Holsom medicyne which gaue vnto infect myndes frutful doctryne and norisshinge. 1567 Compend. Bk. Godly Songs (1897) 219 Thocht Dauid was the Lordis elect,..With Bethsabe he was infect. 1607 T. Middleton Revengers Trag. iv. sig. H3^v For whose infect perswasions I could scarce Kneele out my prayers. a1612 J. Harington Brief View Church of Eng. in Nugæ Antiquæ (1804) II. 78 A blynded eye, a closed eare, A hand with bribe infect. 1884 H. D. Traill New Lucian 55 The Church was infect with Imperialism and Legitimism. 1898 W. Besant Changeling xiii. 157 They were in the crowd—the crowd infect and horrible, at the top of the Haymarket. 1939 J. Brophy Gentleman of Stratford xviii. 305 Ofelia may not guess how she is infect with all the wily heritage of women. †B. n. With the. Infected people as a group. Obsolete. ΚΠ 1591 J. Phillips Commemoration on Life & Death of Sir Christopher Hatton 10 That they a salue may day by day prouide, To shielde the good, and cut off the infect. 1617 Machivell's Dogge in E. Farr Sel. Poetry Reign James I (1848) 204 Heale the infect of sinne with oyle of grace. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2012; most recently modified version published online March 2022). † infectadj.² Origin: A borrowing from Latin. Etymon: Latin infectus. Etymology: < classical Latin infectus not done, unfinished < in- in- prefix⁴ + factus , past participle of facere to make (see fact n.). Obsolete. rare. Incomplete, imperfect (elliptical in quot.). ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > wholeness > incompleteness > [adjective] halfa1300 brokec1380 incompletec1380 imperfecta1398 infecta1398 unperfecta1398 uncompletec1430 unfullc1450 partile1576 unentire?1605 half-faced1607 fragmentary1612 broken1634 partiary1654 fractional1675 fractionarya1690 half-way1694 fragmentala1763 half-and-half1796 fragmentitious1827 incompleted1836 sectional1848 mincemeaty1870 society > morality > moral evil > moral or spiritual degeneration > [adjective] > corrupted or corrupt foul-stinkingOE unwholesomec1374 corruptc1380 rotten1395 infecta1398 unsound?a1400 rotten-heartedc1405 infectedc1449 fly-blown1528 reprobate1531 corrupped1533 corrupted1563 poisoned1567 abusive?1585 debauched1598 deboshedc1598 deboist1604 debauchc1616 deboise1632 scrofulous1842 a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xvii. ii. 899 Grene is þe myddil colour bitwene reed þat comeþ of accioun and worchyng of parfyt hete, and bytwen white þat comeþ of infect [L. imperfecta]. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2012; most recently modified version published online June 2018). infectv. Brit. /ɪnˈfɛkt/, U.S. /ᵻnˈfɛk(t)/ Forms: α. Middle English infecte (past tense and past participle), Middle English infecte, Middle English infettynge (present participle), Middle English–1500s infect (past participle), Middle English– infect, 1500s infeckt; Scottish pre-1700 infeck, pre-1700 infect (past tense and past participle), pre-1700 infek, pre-1700 1700s– infect. β. late Middle English enfecte (past tense, in a late copy), late Middle English–1500s enfect (past participle), late Middle English–1500s enfecte (past participle), late Middle English–1500s enfecte, late Middle English–1600s enfect. Origin: A borrowing from Latin. Etymons: Latin infect-, inficere. Etymology: < classical Latin infect-, past participial stem of inficere to dye, to stain, to impregnate, to imbue, to taint, to poison, to affect with disease, to corrupt < in- in- prefix³ + facere to make, do, put (see fact n.). Compare Middle French, French infecter to affect or impregnate (something) with a (frequently noxious) substance, sound, taste, or odour (1374), to corrupt (a person) morally (1431), to affect (a person, animal, or part of the body) with disease (1520); also Spanish infectar (1501 in past participle infectado ), Italian infettare (1514), and also Dutch infecteren (1600). Compare also Middle French infere , infaire (end of the 14th cent.; probably after Middle French infait , infet , adjective: see infect adj.¹), and ( < classical Latin inficere ) early modern Dutch inficeren , inficieeren (1556), German infizieren (16th cent. as †inficieren ), Swedish inficiera (1623; 1619 as †infisciera ). Compare slightly earlier infect adj.¹ and slightly later infection n.In sense 10b after post-classical Latin use of classical Latin inficere (1853 in this sense: J. K. Zeuss Grammatica Celtica (1853) I. 3); compare earlier infection n. 13. In sense 11 perhaps after French infecter (a1544 in Middle French in this sense). With the β. forms, which are not paralleled in French, compare the β. forms at infect adj.¹ and n. and the β. forms at infection n. 1. transitive. To instil in (someone) an opinion or belief, esp. a pernicious one, as heresy or seditious views. Of an (esp. pernicious) opinion, belief, etc.: to persuade, win over (someone); to seduce. In early use also in a good or neutral sense. ΘΚΠ the mind > mental capacity > belief > school of thought > acknowledge belief [verb (transitive)] > win over infecta1387 reduce1546 disciple1645 discipulize1652 to get over1656 convert1814 society > education > teaching > instilling ideas > instil ideas [verb (transitive)] > instil person with ideas infecta1387 imbue1555 infuse1560 imbrue1565 instil1644 impregnate1652 inoculate1784 indoctrinate1832 brainwash1951 a1387 J. Trevisa tr. R. Higden Polychron. (St. John's Cambr.) (1874) V. 115 Þat tyme come up Arrian his heresie, þat infectede [L. infecit]..þe grete londes of þe world. 1483 W. Caxton tr. J. de Voragine Golden Legende f. ccxxxiij/2 Whan the heresye of the arryans had enfected al Italye. a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) I. cxxxiii. f. lxix Y^e cursyd Secte of y^t detestable & false prophete Machomet..hath enfectyd .ii. pryncypall partis of y^e worlde. 1559 J. Whyte Serm. in J. Strype Ann. Reformation (1824) I. vii. 154 Books..full of pestilent doctrines, blasphemy and heresy, to infect the people. 1574 G. Scott in E. Farr Sel. Poetry Reign Elizabeth (1845) II. 522 Rome is a cage of birdes uncleane,..Few errours haue the Church infect, That dyd not there begynne. 1588 ‘M. Marprelate’ Oh read ouer D. Iohn Bridges: Epist. 26 Being infected by him with the true knowledge of the gospell. 1660 Exact Accompt Trial Regicides 55 The end of your Speech is nothing, but to infect the People. 1701 F. Atterbury Additions to 1st Ed. Rights Eng. Convocation App. 16 Evil and Seditious Persons infected..with Fantastical and Erroneous Opinions. 1782 J. Priestley Hist. Corruptions Christianity I. i. 23 Philosophical opinions..had then begun to infect the Jews. 1845 Athenæum 29 Nov. 1154/3 Infecting him with the belief that her niece is occasionally insane. 1882 J. H. Blunt Reformation Church of Eng. II. 226 These foreign religionists had infected their English friends..with their opinions. 1902 Daily Chron. 15 May 5/1 The Countess Falthorpe became infected (we use the word in no ill sense) by the doctrines of Whitfield and Wesley. 1915 Scribner's Mag. Feb. 154/2 Infecting those simple people with inflated ideas of their rights. 1953 J. S. Raisin Gentile Reactions to Jewish Ideals xv. 378 The belief infected many of the Arabs. 2010 M. K. Stack Every Man in Village is Liar 3 September 11 came and infected us with the idea that we could..make ourselves perfectly safe. 2. a. transitive. To taint with crime; to involve in crime or its penalties. ΘΚΠ the mind > goodness and badness > wrongdoing > criminality > [verb (transitive)] > make infecta1398 racketeer1928 society > law > rule of law > lawlessness > break the law [verb (transitive)] > involve in crime infecta1398 a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. ii. xix. 86 He infectiþ [L. inficit] innocence of goode men with blames and false accusaciouns. 1580 J. Lyly Euphues & his Eng. (new ed.) f. 47 If any Englishman be infected with any misdemeanour. 1602 W. Fulbecke Parallele or Conf. Law i. 79 If one say to an other that he is infected of the robbery and murder lately committed and smels of the murder, an action vpon the case will lye for these wordes. 1651 W. G. tr. J. Cowell Inst. Lawes Eng. 271 Moreover the Issue of Felons is so infected, that they are excluded from all hope or possibility of succeeding in the Inheritances of their Ancestors, which otherwise should have descended to them. 1849 E. G. Wakefield View of Art of Colonization xxiii. 150 In all colonies not infected with crime by convict transportation or banishment, crime is rare in comparison with what it is in this country. 1933 L. L. Jaffe Judicial Aspects Foreign Relations ii. 113 The Barbary states were infected with ‘criminality’ which argues the absence of ‘rational will’. 2009 K. D. Harris Smart on Crime iii. 61 You need to intervene and treat those ‘infected’ by crime, both offenders and victims. b. transitive. spec. International Law. To taint or contaminate with illegality; to involve (a ship or cargo) in the seizure or forfeiture to which contraband or prohibited goods, or an enemy's ship, are liable. Cf. infection n. 12, infectious adj. 7. ΘΚΠ society > law > administration of justice > general proceedings > legal seizure or recovery of property > [verb (transitive)] > confiscate or sequestrate to state > seize as contraband > make liable to seizure infecta1758 a1758 Sir G. Lee in F. T. Pratt Law of Contraband (1856) 170 Soap and potashes are not contraband, but as they belong to the same owners..they by law are liable to confiscation by being infected by the contraband. 1817 W. Cranch Rep. Supreme Court U.S. 9 429 It has been inferred on the one side that the goods would be infected by the resistance of the ship. 1879 T. D. Woolsey tr. Treaty of Utrecht in Introd. Internat. Law (ed. 5) §198. 342 The ship itself, as well as the other goods found therein, are to be esteemed free, neither may they be detained on pretense of their being, as it were, infected by the prohibited goods. 1918 Yale Law Jrnl. 27 842 A certain proportion of contraband on a vessel infects the vessel itself. 1963 Internat. Law Stud. 56 ii. v. 367 Contraband carried on a vessel infected noncontraband under the same ownership, rendering the noncontraband subject to condemnation. 2002 C. J. Nolan Greenwood Encycl. Internat. Relations II. 786 Contraband is said to ‘infect’ noncontraband goods on the same ship so that the latter may also be rightfully seized by a belligerent. 3. a. transitive. To affect or impregnate with a (frequently noxious) substance, sound, taste, or odour; to pollute; to taint. ΘΚΠ the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > condition or state of being mixed or blended > mix or blend [verb (transitive)] > add as ingredient to a mixture > qualify by admixture > impregnate infecta1398 interfuse1593 imbue1594 impregnate1605 imbibe1622 impregn1652 embryonate1666 a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) II. xviii. ix. 1127 He infecteþ wiþ venym eueryche welle þat he comeþ nygh. c1405 (c1395) G. Chaucer Canon's Yeoman's Tale (Ellesmere) (1875) l. 889 Though a man a Mile from hem be The sauour wole infecte [c1440 Egerton 2726 enfecte] hym truste me. c1540 (?a1400) Gest Historiale Destr. Troy (2002) f. 16^v And he Enfecte the ffirmament with his felle noise. 1553 R. Eden tr. S. Münster Treat. Newe India sig. Evj^v They vse also to infect theyr arrowes with venime. 1563 W. Fulke Goodle Gallerye Causes Meteors v. f. 64^v Salt..is first generated, in the earth, after commeth the water of the sea, and is infected with it. 1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. 44 The nature of the earth infecteth the waters, as it were, with some strong medicine. 1613 S. Purchas Pilgrimage 646 He tempered a poyson for that purpose, with which a weapon infected, drawing never so little bloud, did kill. 1651 A. Ross Arcana Microcosmi i. v. 175 The flesh of Castrated Animals is more delicate, because there is in them more benigne juyce, neither is their flesh infected with the ungrateful and rankish relish of the Testicles. 1680 R. Boyle Sceptical Chymist (new ed.) i. 68 Upon the unluting the Vessels it infected the Room with a scarce supportable stink. 1729 G. Shelvocke Jr. tr. K. Siemienowicz Great Art Artillery iv. 293 Balls may be infected with Venom, not by pouring any into an Hole made to receive it, as some would have it. 1765 tr. in Foreign Ess. Agric. & Arts 227 Without injuring the quality of the Butter, or infecting it with any taste whatever. 1824 A. Henderson Hist. Wines 344 [It] is apt to infect the liquor with a medicinal taste. 1853 E. K. Kane U.S. Grinnell Exped. xxxiii. 288 Our snow-water has been infected for the past month by a very perceptible flavor and odor of musk. 1912 H. C. Hoover & L. H. Hoover tr. Georgius Agricola De Re Metallica vi. 215 Here the air is infected with poison. 1964 C. S. Kilby Christian World C. S. Lewis vii. 187 The whole vegetable system of the country..was infected with the taste of wild apples. 2006 ‘A. Elyot’ By a Lady 38 C.J. was afraid to sit on the only bed in the room.., not to avoid discomfort, but to refrain from infecting it with her stench. b. transitive. To dye, tinge, colour, stain. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > colour > colouring > colour [verb (transitive)] dyea1000 huec1000 litc1230 coloura1325 paint?c1335 infecta1398 taint1471 recolour1566 becolour1567 tinct1594 colorate1599 colourize1611 tincture1616 tint1791 encolour1850 pigment1896 a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. viii. xxxi. 514 Þanne it happiþ þat þerþe is euene isette aforn þe sonne in a certein maner asigned, it makeþ þe schadewe strecche so hiȝe þat it rechiþ to þe moone, and infectiþ þe mone, and makeþ eclips þerof. 1495 Trevisa's Bartholomeus De Proprietatibus Rerum (de Worde) xvi. xxxvii. sig. L.j/2 [Electrum] receyueth sone colour & hewe in what manere a man woll. And so it is soone enfected [a1398 BL Add. infecte; L. inficitur]..wyth Percyl. 1623 W. Lisle in tr. Ælfric Saxon Treat. Old & New Test. Ded. xxvi Nor shall we more with artificiall hew, Infect our fells, by teaching them to faine What Nature gaue not. 1633 P. Fletcher Purple Island ii. xvii. 21 His native beautie is a lilie white, Which still some other colour'd stream infecteth. 1691 J. Ray Wisdom of God 171 To those that have the Jaundice..Objects appear of that same Color wherewith their Eyes are infected. 1734 Philos. Trans. 1733–4 (Royal Soc.) 38 240 The juice in the capsula.., becoming yellow, and spreading over the segments of the fruit, infected them with that colour, and so changed them. 1789 T. Taylor Hist. Restoration Platonic Theol. in tr. Proclus Philos. & Math. Comm. II. 262 Just as it happens to those who ascend the highest mountains, where the earth is yellow: for they are immediately infected with the colour, and become similar to the earth, to which they ascend. 1808 T. Taylor tr. Aristotle Generation Animals ii. vii. 328 The eyes are anointed with a coloured liquor; and if the saliva of the mouth is infected with that colour. 1866 Fortn. Rev. 1 Apr. 417 The fine variety of Portland is indeed easily infected with the black tint, but it washes easily where exposed to the rain. 1951 H. R. Zimmer Philos. India iii. i. 249 The flow entering the clear body darkens it, infecting it with the color..corresponding to the moral character of the committed act. 2006 P. Ekert Avid Liquid 7 xi. 370 Try not to let any other colors infect this sample. 4. a. transitive. To cause disease in; to affect (a person, animal, plant, part of the body, etc.) with (or †of) disease or a disease, esp. one of an epidemic nature; to transmit a disease to. In later use also: to transmit the causative agent of a disease to; (of a microorganism or other biological agent) to enter and become established within (the body, an organ, a cell, etc.), esp. so as to cause disease. Occasionally also intransitive. Cf. infection n. 4. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > production of disease > make diseased [verb (transitive)] > infect infecta1398 touch?c1400 smit1428 file1456 disease1467 fect?1541 tache?1541 tack1601 smittle1625 a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add. 27944) (1975) I. v. lxiv. 287 Þat matere abidiþ vndir þe skyn, and chaungiþ and infectiþ þe skyn [L. superinducit infectionem aliquem]..wiþ icchinge. c1475 in Coll. Ordinances Royal Househ. (Harl. 642) (1790) 43 If any of this courte be infected with leperiȝ or pestylence. 1481 in J. Fullarton Rec. Burgh Prestwick (1834) 29 Andro Sauer is fundin daili reperand to Kingcase..& is abill till infect the hale toune, & weris þe seik folkis clathis & bonnettis. 1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VIII f. clxxvj^v Neither he nor the quene nor none of their company was enfected of y^e disease. ?1548 J. Bale Comedy Thre Lawes Nature ii. sig. Aviij^v The ayre whych geueth breathe, Sumtyme infecteth to deathe. 1610 P. Holland tr. W. Camden Brit. i. 574 A Lazarhouse of women in Wilt-shire, which one of the said sisters, being her selfe infected with the Leprosie built for them that had the same disease. 1628 G. Wither Britain's Remembrancer ii. 449 Right so, this Plague..infects (At such or such a distance) ev'ry one. 1657 W. Coles Adam in Eden ix. 20 That is to say, Sage, Castory,..Lavender, Primrose, Watercresse, and Tansie, cure and heal Members infected with the Palsie. 1709 J. Sintelaer Scourge Venus & Mercury 42 It is very rare even in Women, to be infected with the Venereal Gonorrhœa without the Appearance of some or other of these Symptoms and Signs. 1759 J. Lauder Decisions I. 406 Anent the horse infected with the mord de chien. 1792 J. Sinclair Statist. Acct. Scotl. IV. 267 The pernicious quality of a species of grass to the health of the sheep..infecting them with a disease called the Vanquish. 1800 J. Bell Answer to Memorial J. Gregory ii. 38 It [sc. hospital-gangrene]..rages twice a year in such a degree, that the nurses even are infected; the slightest scratch in their fingers turns out a most formidable sore. 1876 T. Bryant Pract. Surg. (ed. 2) I. ii. 78 It should never be forgotten that it is the virus which infects the system. 1899 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. VIII. 872 Mothers and wet-nurses suffering from the disease..infecting their nurslings. 1903 P. Manson Trop. Dis. (rev. ed.) i. xii. 195 The same insects rarely failed to infect when set to bite non-immunes at any time subsequent to the twelfth day after their yellow fever blood meal. 1989 Jrnl. Royal Soc. Med. 82 519/1 Viral species tend to be restricted to the host animal species which they infect. 1994 Jrnl. Invertebr. Pathol. 64 232/2 We planned..to use confirmation bioassays with mosquitos to verify the zoospores' ability to infect. 2001 Genre May 65/1 If you're in an HIV sero-discordant relationship, there will always be the fear that the HIV-positive individual will infect his HIV-negative partner. 2011 Independent 23 Mar. 15/3 Dog ticks can be infected with diseases that, if left untreated, can damage the heart and nervous system of humans. b. transitive. In figurative and extended use. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > aspects of emotion > effect produced on emotions > infectious quality of emotion > infect with emotion [verb (transitive)] infectc1430 c1430 (c1386) G. Chaucer Legend Good Women (Cambr. Gg.4.27) (1879) l. 2242 Ȝit lestyth the venym of so longe ago That it enfectyth [c1450 Fairf. infecteth] hym that wele [c1500 Trin. Cambr. wyll] be-holde The storye of Therius. 1548 Hall's Vnion: Henry VII f. xxx She compassed, ymagened, and inuented how..to infect his whole realme with a pestiferous discorde. a1605 (c1422) T. Hoccleve Complaint (Durh.) l. 235 in Minor Poems (1970) i. 103 This grevous venyme that had enfectyd and wildyd my brayne. 1697 J. Dryden tr. Virgil Æneis ii, in tr. Virgil Wks. 256 With a Son's death t'infect a Father's sight. 1707 I. Watts Hymns ii. cliii, in Poet. Wks. IV. 148 Sin like a venomous disease Infects our vital blood. 1785 W. Cowper Task v. 606 All the plagues with which his sins Infect his happiest moments. 1820 P. B. Shelley Prometheus Unbound iii. iv. 118 The wretch crept a vampire among men, Infecting all with his own hideous ill. 1899 A. White Mod. Jew ii. 37 The poisonous Jewish Question infected her life-blood. 1939 Daily Mail 12 Apr. 8/4 This sickly sentimental panda plague has infected far more people than can ever hope to eye it in the flesh. 1981 Times 1 Apr. 14/5 There is a poison infecting society and it must be rooted out. 2004 N.Y. Rev. Bks. 26 Feb. 29/1 Young human minds can be infected by religion viruses. c. transitive. Computing. To affect with a virus or other form of malware.In quot. 1972 in a science fiction context. ΘΚΠ society > computing and information technology > programming language > program or code > [verb (transitive)] > affect with virus infect1972 1972 ‘D. Gerrold’ When Harlie was One 176 One machine could infect another and then both would be infected, dialing numbers at random until ultimately every phone-link computer in the world would be infected. 1984 J. H. Finch & E. G. Dougall Computer Security 144 We define a computer ‘virus’ as a program that can ‘infect’ other programs by modifying them to include a possibly evolved copy of itself. 1996 Computer Weekly 29 Aug. 4/5 The Hare.7610 virus..infects boot disc sectors and program files. 2010 New Yorker 1 Nov. 48/3 In July, there were reports that a computer worm, known as Stuxnet, had infected thousands of computers worldwide. 5. transitive. To taint or contaminate (a person or thing) with moral corruption; to deprave; to exert a bad influence upon character or habits. ΘΚΠ the mind > goodness and badness > wrongdoing > corruption > [verb (transitive)] forbraidc888 besmiteeOE awemOE filec1175 soila1250 envenomc1300 beshrewc1325 shrew1338 corrumpa1340 corrupt1382 subvertc1384 tache1390 poison1395 infect?c1400 intoxicatec1450 deprave1482 corrup1483 rust1493 turkess?1521 vitiate1534 prevary?1541 depravate1548 fester?1548 turkish1560 wry1563 taint1573 disalter1579 prevaricate1595 sophisticate1597 invitiate1598 fashion1600 tack1601 debauch1603 deturpate1623 disaltern1635 ulcer1642 deboise1654 Neronize1673 demoralize1794 bedevil1800 society > morality > moral evil > moral or spiritual degeneration > degrading or impairing morally > degrade or impair morally [verb (transitive)] > corrupt > taint or infect smiteeOE besmiteeOE smitOE besmita1250 empoisonc1400 fadec1400 infect?c1400 attainta1529 leaven1534 inquinate1542 contaminate1563 taint1573 tack1601 beleper?a1625 ?c1400 (c1380) G. Chaucer tr. Boethius De Consol. Philos. (BL Add. 10340) (1868) iv. pr. iii. l. 3437 Þe [vtteriste wikkednesse..]..ne defouliþ nat ne entecehiþ nat hem oonly but infectiþ [L. infecit] and enuenemyþ hem gretely. a1475 J. Russell Bk. Nurture (Harl. 4011) in Babees Bk. (2002) i. 199 Now, good god, graunt vs grace oure sowles neuer to Infecte! 1483 tr. Adam of Eynsham Reuelation xxvii With her wyckydnes they haue al moste enfecte & cumbrid alle the howse. 1535 W. Stewart tr. H. Boethius Bk. Cron. Scotl. (1858) II. 245 He wes..Infectit far with auerice that syn. 1578 J. Lyly Euphues f. 61^v Wee shoulde not speake of manners or vertue, to those whose mindes are infected with vice. 1633 J. Ford Loves Sacrifice iv. sig. H2^v More base in the infinitenesse of her sensuality, Then corruption can infect. 1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost x. 608 Till I [sc. Satan] in Man residing..His thoughts, his looks, words, actions all infect . View more context for this quotation 1751 S. Johnson Rambler No. 155. ⁋12 Indolence is..one of the vices from which those whom it infects are seldom reformed. 1753 T. Smollett Ferdinand Count Fathom I. viii. 46 He must be furiously infected with the rage of patronizing, who could take such a deplorable performance into his protection. 1833 C. F. Crusé tr. Eusebius Eccl. Hist. (ed. 2) ii. i. 50 These, after the manner of their founder,..infected those with the greatest corruption. 1898 Expositor 10 383 We are all at once infected with the pride and hypocrisy which fill these men. 1922 W. M. West Story Amer. Democracy 696 Other countries were infected with imperialistic greed. 1978 J. Senior Death Christian Culture i. 9 The pederastic lust infecting all Greek art and athletics. 2007 J. R. Payton Light from Christian East vi. 113 Every element of human nature is infected by depravity. 6. transitive. To make (air, water, etc.) injurious to health; to contaminate with the causative agent of (a) disease. Cf. infection n. 2. ΘΚΠ the world > physical sensation > cleanness and dirtiness > dirtiness > pollution or defilement > pollute or defile [verb (transitive)] afileeOE besmiteeOE shenda950 befilec1000 bisulienc1200 defoulc1320 file1340 foilc1380 smota1387 lime1390 solwea1400 surda1400 infectc1425 filtha1450 poison?a1513 defile1530 polluve1533 inquinate1542 pollute1548 contaminate1563 bumfiddlec1595 impure1598 conspurcate1600 defoil1601 sullya1616 vilify1615 deturpate1623 impiate1623 defedate1628 dreg1628 contemerate1650 spot1741 empoison1775 c1425 J. Lydgate Troyyes Bk. (Augustus A.iv) iv. l. 98 (MED) Þe dede bodies..Fro day to day infecten so þe eyre Þoruȝ þe feld engendringe pestilence. 1534 T. Paynell tr. Moche Profitable Treat. against Pestilence i. sig. A.ii^v The aire is infectyd & charged with infectyd and poyson vapours. 1542 A. Borde Compend. Regyment Helth iii. sig. B.iv Many thynges doth infect, putryfye, and corrupteth the ayre. 1658 G. Starkey Natures Explic. 92 Those endemical malignant vapours, which infect the air. 1717 Lady M. W. Montagu Let. 1 Apr. (1965) I. 338 There are many that 'scape of it [sc. the plague], neither is the air ever infected. 1839 C. Dickens Nicholas Nickleby lxii. 607 Throw me on a dunghill, and let me rot there, to infect the air! 1860 F. Nightingale Notes on Nursing (rev. ed.) 89 A dirty carpet literally infects the room. 1917 H. N. Parker City Milk Supply 167 Fecal pollutions may infect the water with bacteria and animal parasites that cause diseases of stock or more likely of man. 1958 Brit. Med. Jrnl. 11 Jan. 78/1 From such investigations it would seem that breathing during 10 hours would at most infect the air with 100 or so Staph. aureus infected particles. 2008 M. Geiger-Bronsky & D. J. Wilson Respiratory Nursing xxi. 259 Viral pneumonias—..spread from person to person by direct deposit of droplets infected with the virus on mucosal membranes. †7. transitive. To affect (a thing) detrimentally or unpleasantly; to spoil or corrupt with some addition or alloy; to adulterate. Obsolete. ΘΚΠ the world > matter > condition of matter > bad condition of matter > cause bad condition in [verb (transitive)] infect?1440 poison?a1513 violate1555 spoil1563 vitiate1572 waste1572 the world > relative properties > wholeness > mutual relation of parts to whole > condition or state of being mixed or blended > mix or blend [verb (transitive)] > add as ingredient to a mixture > qualify by admixture > adulterate adulterc1384 feigna1398 sophisticatec1400 infect?1440 counterfeit1495 adulterate?1526 dash1548 falsify1562 elay1573 abuse1574 base1581 corrupt1581 debase1591 adulterize1593 compass1594 sophisticate1604 allay1634 huckster1642 hucksterize1646 cauponize1652 alloy1661 balderdash1674 impurify1693 doctor1726 vitiate1728 sand1851 dope1898 tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) vi. l. 177 (MED) At Mayes eende a solar is to paue, And rather [earlier] not, lest frostis hit enfecte. 1563 W. Fulke Goodle Gallerye Causes Meteors v. f. 67 Copper..geueth waye to corruption, beyng infected with that greane minerall copperus. 1576 G. Gascoigne Steele Glas sig. H.iiii When pewterers, infect no Tin with leade. 1590 T. Lodge Rosalynde: Euphues Golden Legacie (Collier) 100 The synople tree, whose blossomes delight the smell, and whose fruit infects the taste. 1600 B. Jonson Every Man out of his Humor Epil. sig. Riii^v Our Citties Torrent (bent t'infect The hallow'd bowels of the siluer Thames). View more context for this quotation 1693 J. Dryden tr. Persius Satires vi. 80 Our sweating Hinds their Sallads, now, defile; Infecting homely Herbs with fragrant Oyl. 1778 W. Pryce Mineralogia Cornubiensis 237 Gray Ores are generally the heaviest of all, and are commonly infected with Iron. 8. intransitive. To become infected (in various senses). Now rare.Apparently not attested in the 17th and 18th centuries.In quot. ?1440: to deteriorate. ΘΚΠ society > morality > moral evil > moral or spiritual degeneration > degenerate [verb (intransitive)] > become corrupt > become infected infectc1540 the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > production of disease > produce disease [verb (intransitive)] > become infected infect1584 tr. Palladius De re Rustica (Duke Humfrey) (1896) xi. l. 350 Lest they [sc. wines] enfecte, is ferther now to trete. a1513 W. Dunbar Poems (1998) I. 115 Thir terribill monstris sall togiddir thrist..Quhill all the air infect of thair poysoun. c1540 Image Ipocrysy iv, in J. Skelton Poet. Wks. (1843) II. 439 Nowe with sondry sectes The world sore infectes. 1584 T. Cogan Hauen of Health ccxliii. 281 All infected in a manner at one instant, by reason of a dampe or miste which arose. 1636 A. Montgomerie Cherrie & Slae (new ed.) 1354 Looke what he lackes for reliefe Ere furth he infect. 1906 Amer. Jrnl. Clin. Med. Mar. 392/1 The ink was sterile but the wounds infected later. 1999 P. Bowen Long Son 92 Face wounds infect so readily. 9. transitive. To affect (esp. a person) with some quality, esp. a feeling, to communicate a feeling to (a person). Of a feeling: to take hold of (someone). ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > aspects of emotion > quality of affecting the emotions > affect with emotion [verb (transitive)] rineOE afaite?c1225 stir?c1225 movea1325 amovec1380 inspire1390 commove1393 informa1398 toucha1400 embracec1430 rore1481 alter1529 to carry away?1529 raise1533 removea1540 heavec1540 affect?1548 carry1570 inmove1583 infecta1586 worka1616 unthaw1699 emove1835 emotionize1855 emotion1875 the mind > emotion > aspects of emotion > effect produced on emotions > have an effect on [verb (transitive)] gravec1374 bitec1400 rapt?1577 infecta1586 to come (also get, go) home to1625 to screw up1644 strike1672 strikea1701 impress1736 to touch up1796 to burn into1823 knock1883 hit1891 impressionize1894 the mind > emotion > aspects of emotion > quality of affecting the emotions > affect with emotion [verb (transitive)] > seize or strike (of an emotion) assaila1393 supprisea1413 strike1533 infecta1586 seize1845 a1586 Sir P. Sidney Arcadia (1590) ii. vii. f. 133 A monstrous crie..was able to infect with feare a minde that had not preuented it with the power of reason. a1616 W. Shakespeare King John (1623) iv. iii. 69 A holy Vow..Neuer to taste the pleasures of the world, Neuer to be infected with delight. View more context for this quotation 1667 J. Milton Paradise Lost i. 453 The Love-tale Infected Sions daughters with like heat. View more context for this quotation 1706 Ld. Godolphin Let. 11 July in H. L. Snyder Marlborough–Godolphin Corr. (1975) II. 656 I dare not troble you with enlarging upon this subject, for fear of infecting you, with some part of my spleen. 1765 H. Walpole Castle of Otranto ii. 52 Your terrors, I suppose, have infected me. 1828 W. Scott Fair Maid of Perth xi, in Chron. Canongate 2nd Ser. III. 315 The frenzy of rage and despair, infected next the minstrels. 1885 M. Collins Prettiest Woman in Warsaw I. vii. 119 Her gaiety infected him. 1917 A. French Hiding-places 18 Her fear infected me. 1956 L. Durrell Justine i. 72 Yet the living can't do without us. We infect them with a desire to experience more, to grow. 2010 Independent 20 Feb. 37/3 I am infected by the new adversariality of American politics. 10. a. transitive. To affect or influence (a person or thing) with some quality, or by the introduction of some extraneous (frequently negative) element. Of a quality: to affect or influence (a person or thing). ΘΚΠ the world > existence and causation > existence > intrinsicality or inherence > introduction or bringing in > introduce or bring something in [verb (transitive)] > infuse sheda1325 bedew1340 distil1393 informa1398 transfusec1425 pourc1451 infudea1500 infuse1526 tan1530 colour1536 suck1549 imbrue1565 dewc1572 inspire1576 steep1603 infect1605 imbreathe1609 impregn1652 transfund1670 influence1691 bleed1866 render1885 taste1904 1605 F. Bacon Of Aduancem. Learning i. sig. G2 Men haue vsed to infect their meditations, opinions, and doctrines with some conceits which they haue most admired. View more context for this quotation a1680 S. Butler Genuine Remains (1759) II. 217 His Muse is not inspired but infected with another Man's Fancy. 1750 S. Johnson Rambler No. 71. ⁋9 Forgetfulness of the fragility of life has remarkably infected the students of monuments. 1769 J. Reynolds Disc. Royal Acad. (1778) 17 I speak of it from experience, not as an error which may possibly happen, but which has actually infected all foreign Academies. 1830 J. F. W. Herschel Prelim. Disc. Study Nat. Philos. 109 The perverse and flimsy style of verbal disputation which had infected all learning. 1883 J. A. Froude Short Stud. IV. i. v. 56 The enthusiasm of the biographers for their master and his cause infects every line of their narratives. 1915 E. Herman Meaning & Value of Mysticism ix. 247 Our religious life and literature are infected with a curious cult of the spiritual babe, which very often runs to an attitude of sheer babyishness. 1974 S. P. Kanal Ethics of Devatma xxxv. 315 Apart from this limitation in relation to love of goodness, human altruism is infected with an element of untruth. 2009 New Yorker 19 Oct. 83/2 One of the latest catchphrases to infect parental discourse is an admonishment against greed. b. transitive. spec. Of a sound: to affect and alter the quality of a sound in a neighbouring syllable, esp. in Celtic languages. Cf. infection n. 13. ΘΚΠ the mind > language > linguistics > study of speech sound > speech sound > sound changes > [verb (transitive)] > infect infect1872 1872 [implied in: W. Stokes Goidelica (ed. 2) 112 Infected g, d, t are dropped, as in bri(gh)te, blie(dh)nec..be(th)ad. (at infected adj. 4)]. 1885 Stokes in Trans. Philol. Soc. 179 [Final] -a (Indo-European ā) is lost, but infects a following consonant and breaks a preceding i or u. 1941 B. Haile Learning Navaho I. 32 The nasal quality of n or m infects the following vowel. 2006 C. Yang Infinite Gift v. 81 The last vowel of the first root..infects every vowel that follows. 11. transitive. To infest (a place, person, clothing, etc.). Of insects: to set upon, to swarm over (an animal). ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > plague or pestilence > cause plague or pestilence [verb (transitive)] plaguec1595 pestilence1598 infect1607 empesta1612 1607 E. Topsell Hist. Foure-footed Beastes 226 Foxes are annoied with many enemies, and..the small flies..called gnats do much trouble and infect them. 1655 H. L'Estrange Reign King Charles 130 His coasts were..infected with Pickroons, Turks, and Dunkirk-Pirats to the great dammage of traffique. 1712 W. Rogers Cruising Voy. 319 Much infected with Serpents, Moskitto's, and other Insects. 1797 Lady's Mag. Feb. 83/1 There is a part of the country..very much infected with robbers and murderers. 1832 Day (Glasgow) 3 Apr. 320/2 Three wards of that house..were infected with bugs. 1881 Amer. Bee Jrnl. 13 Apr. 115/3 If the building is infected with mice, trap them all. 1907 C. N. Williamson & A. M. Williamson Car of Destiny xxxiii. 282 A lonely place known to be infected with brigands. 1950 Life 25 Sept. 83/1 For weeks, they never got out of their clothes and became hopelessly dirty and infected with vermin. 2010 F. Dikötter Mao's Great Famine 149 Filthy canteens infected with insects and rodents. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2012; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < adj.¹n.a1382adj.²a1398v.a1387
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infectadj.1n.

† infectadj.2

infectv.

infectadj.¹n.

† infectadj.²