infect

Speech parts

1. infect - Adjective

2. infect - Verb

Meaning

Infected. Cf. Enfect.

To taint with morbid matter or any pestilential or noxious substance or effluvium by which disease is produced; as, to infect a lancet; to infect an apartment.

To affect with infectious disease; to communicate infection to; as, infected with the plague.

To communicate to or affect with, as qualities or emotions, esp. bad qualities; to corrupt; to contaminate; to taint by the communication of anything noxious or pernicious.

To contaminate with illegality or to expose to penalty.

Source: Webster's dictionary

Synonyms

pollute taint attack poison corrupt contaminate defile befoul vitiate sully influence plague blight spread carry
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Antonyms

disinfect wash polish curry clear comb
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Hypernyms

give move affect strike corrupt foul

Hyponyms

smut canker superinfect

Derivatives

infected infecting

Anagrams

Ceftin netfic

Examples

False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil. Socrates

I am no longer sure of anything. If I satiate my desires, I sin but I deliver myself from them; if I refuse to satisfy them, they infect the whole soul. Jean-Paul Sartre

We pray that the deceitful race - such hateful enemies and blasphemers of the name of Christ - be not allowed to further infect and trouble this new colony. Peter Stuyvesant

False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil. Plato

There was a time when I liked a good riot. Put on some heavy old street clothes that could stand a bit of sidewalk-scraping, infect myself with something good and contagious, then go out and stamp on some cops. It was great, being nine years old. Warren Ellis

One scabbed sheep will infect a whole flock. German Proverb

Close letter words and terms

infeasible agent infeasibleness infeasibly infectability infectable infectant