1.
2.
[syn: infect, taint]
3. corrupt with ideas or an ideology;
- Example: "society was infected by racism"
4. affect in a contagious way;
- Example: "His laughter infects everyone who is in the same room"
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Infect \In*fect"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Infected; p. pr. & vb.
n. Infecting.] [L. infectus, p. p. of inficere to put or
dip into, to stain, infect; pref. in- in + facere to make;
cf. F. infecter. See Fact.]
[1913 Webster]
1. 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.
[1913 Webster]
2. To affect with infectious disease; to communicate
infection to; as, infected with the plague.
[1913 Webster]
Them that were left alive being infected with this
disease. --Sir T.
North.
[1913 Webster]
3. 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. --Cowper.
[1913 Webster]
Infected Ston's daughters with like heat. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
4. (Law) To contaminate with illegality or to expose to
penalty.
Syn: To poison; vitiate; pollute; defile.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Infect \In*fect"\, a. [L. infectus: cf. F. infect. See Infect,
v. t.]
Infected. Cf. Enfect. [Obs.] --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
infect
v 1: communicate a disease to; "Your children have infected you
with this head cold"
2: contaminate with a disease or microorganism [syn: infect,
taint] [ant: disinfect]
3: corrupt with ideas or an ideology; "society was infected by
racism"
4: affect in a contagious way; "His laughter infects everyone
who is in the same room"