infest

Word family

Related topics: Biology

in·fest /ɪnˈfest/ verb [transitiveT]

1 HBLOT/LARGE NUMBER OR AMOUNTif insects, rats etc infest a place, there are a lot of them and they usually cause damage 〔昆虫、老鼠等〕成群侵扰，大批出没于

be infested with something

The kitchen was infested with cockroaches.

厨房里到处是蟑螂。

shark-infested/rat-infested etc

shark-infested waters

鲨鱼成群出没的水域

2 if a place is infested with things or people you do not want, there are too many of them there 〔不想要的人或物〕遍布于

be infested with something

an area infested with holiday homes

到处都是度假屋的地区

n Grammar

Infest is usually passive.

—infestation /ˌɪnfeˈsteɪʃən/ noun [countableC, uncountableU]

Examples from the Corpus

infest• mosquito-infested swamps

be infested with something• I had reservations about Monte Cristo, which is said to be infested with adders.• Researchers have found the soil to be infested with around 500 grubs per square metre instead of the usual five or so.• The house she lives in is infested with cockroaches, and damp is coming through the ceiling.• Fish do scratch, and this does not mean they are infested with gill flukes.• The entire house was infested with mice which meant that everybody was in constant battle against their droppings and their smell.• After eight years of a Republican governor, state government was infested with Republicans.• Your shop is infested with rodents.• And what is more heinous their armies are infested with smallpox!

Origin infest

(1500-1600) French infester, from Latin, from infestus “angry and unfriendly”

in·fest verb →n GRAMMAR1

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