in|fect

in|fect
in|fect «ihn FEHKT», transitive verb.
1. to cause disease or an unhealthy condition in by introducing germs, such as bacteria or a virus: »

Dirt infects an open cut. Anyone with a bad cold may infect the people around him.

2. Figurative. to influence in a bad way: »

One bad boy may infect a whole class.

SYNONYM(S): pollute, contaminate, deprave.
3. Figurative. to influence by spreading from one to another: »

The captain's courage infected his soldiers. Her enthusiasm infected everyone who worked with her. As the strike fever spread, even stockbrokers were infected and staged a walkout (Newsweek).

 SYNONYM(S): imbue, permeate.
4. to fill with something that affects quality, character, or condition, especially unfavorably: »

to infect the air with noisome gases.

5. Law. to taint with illegality; make liable to seizure, forfeiture, etc.
6. a computer virus into (a computer operating system or program): »

Whenever the infected computer comes in contact with an uninfected piece of software, a fresh copy of the virus passes into the new program (Time).

╂[< Latin īnfectus, past participle of īnficere to dye; (originally) put in < in- in + facere make]

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • fect — af·fect·a·bil·i·ty; af·fect·a·ble; af·fect·er; de·fect·less; ef·fect·ful; ef·fect·ible; ef·fect·less; in·fect·ibil·i·ty; in·fect·ible; per·fect·abil·i·ty; per·fect·able; per·fect·ibil·ian; per·fect·ibi·lism; per·fect·ibi·list;… …   English syllables

  • FECT — fibroelastic connective tissue …   Medical dictionary

  • FECT — fecerunt titulum, fecit …   Abbreviations in Latin Inscriptions

  • FECT — • fibroelastic connective tissue …   Dictionary of medical acronyms & abbreviations

  • fect — …   Useful english dictionary

  • un´af|fect´ed|ness — un|af|fect|ed1 «UHN uh FEHK tihd», adjective. not affected; not influenced; unchanged: »Many of these birds seem unaffected by climate (Alfred R. Wallace). SYNONYM(S): unmoved, unimpressed. ╂[< un 1 + affected1] –un´af|fect´ed|ly, adverb …   Useful english dictionary

  • un´af|fect´ed|ly — un|af|fect|ed1 «UHN uh FEHK tihd», adjective. not affected; not influenced; unchanged: »Many of these birds seem unaffected by climate (Alfred R. Wallace). SYNONYM(S): unmoved, unimpressed. ╂[< un 1 + affected1] –un´af|fect´ed|ly, adverb …   Useful english dictionary

  • un|af|fect|ed — un|af|fect|ed1 «UHN uh FEHK tihd», adjective. not affected; not influenced; unchanged: »Many of these birds seem unaffected by climate (Alfred R. Wallace). SYNONYM(S): unmoved, unimpressed. ╂[< un 1 + affected1] –un´af|fect´ed|ly, adverb …   Useful english dictionary

  • af|fect´ed|ness — af|fect|ed1 «uh FEHK tihd», adjective. 1. acted on; influenced: »Everyone felt affected by the war. 2. influenced injuriously: »She froze her feet and the affected toes were numb. 3. moved in feeling; stirred up. 4. inclined …   Useful english dictionary

  • af|fect´ed|ly — af|fect|ed1 «uh FEHK tihd», adjective. 1. acted on; influenced: »Everyone felt affected by the war. 2. influenced injuriously: »She froze her feet and the affected toes were numb. 3. moved in feeling; stirred up. 4. inclined …   Useful english dictionary

  • af|fect|ed — af|fect|ed1 «uh FEHK tihd», adjective. 1. acted on; influenced: »Everyone felt affected by the war. 2. influenced injuriously: »She froze her feet and the affected toes were numb. 3. moved in feeling; stirred up. 4. inclined …   Useful english dictionary

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