plague

n : a serious (sometimes fatal) infection transmitted by the

bite of an infected rat flea (especially bubonic plague)

[syn: {pestilence}]

v 1: cause to suffer a blight [syn: {blight}]

2: annoy continually or chronically; "He is known to harry his

staff when he is overworked" [syn: {harass}, {hassle}, {harry},

{chivy}, {chivvy}, {chevy}, {chevvy}, {beset}, {molest},

{provoke}]