Library / English Dictionary

INFEST

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Invade in great numbers

Example:

the roaches infested our kitchen

Synonyms:

infest; overrun

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "infest" is one way to...):

invade; occupy (march aggressively into another's territory by military force for the purposes of conquest and occupation)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Derivation:

infestation (a swarm of insects that attack plants)

infestation (the state of being invaded or overrun by parasites)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Live on or in a host, as of parasites

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "infest" is one way to...):

inhabit (be present in)

Sentence frame:

Something is ----ing PP

Sense 3

Meaning:

Occupy in large numbers or live on a host

Example:

the Kudzu plant infests much of the South and is spreading to the North

Synonyms:

infest; invade; overrun

Classified under:

Verbs of being, having, spatial relations

Hypernyms (to "infest" is one way to...):

inhabit (be present in)

Sentence frames:

Something is ----ing PP
Something ----s something

Derivation:

infestation (a swarm of insects that attack plants)

infestation (the state of being invaded or overrun by parasites)

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