pestiferousadj.n.

Brit.

/pɛˈstɪf(ə)rəs/, U.S.

/pɛˈstɪf(ə)rəs/

Forms: late Middle English pestiferus (in a late copy), late Middle English– pestiferous, 1500s pestiferouse, 1500s pestyferous, 1500s–1600s pestifferous, 1600s 1800s pestifrous (nonstandard); Scottish pre-1700 pestiferus, pre-1700 pestiforus, pre-1700 1800s– pestiferous.

Origin: A borrowing from Latin, combined with an English element. Etymons: Latin pestifer , -ous suffix.

Etymology: < classical Latin pestifer causing death or destruction, noxious, pestilential, pernicious ( < pestis pest n. + -fer -fer comb. form) + -ous suffix; compare -ferous comb. form. Compare Middle French pestiféreux (1530 or earlier), Middle French, French pestifère pestifere adj., Catalan pestífer (14th cent.), Spanish pestífero (1350). Compare later pestifere adj., and earlier pestilent adj., pestilential adj.In sense 2b after Middle French, French pestiféré (1531 as adjective and noun).

1. Morally or socially harmful; pernicious.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > goodness and badness > harmfulness > [adjective]

litherc893

scathefulc900

balefulOE

orneOE

teenfulOE

evilc1175

venomousc1290

scathela1300

prejudiciala1325

fell?c1335

harmfula1340

grievous1340

ill1340

wicked1340

noisomea1382

venomed1382

noyfulc1384

damageousc1386

mischievousc1390

unwholesomea1400

undisposingc1400

damnablec1420

prejudiciable1429

contagiousc1440

damagefulc1449

pestiferous1458

damageable1474

pestilent?a1475

nuisable1483

nocible1490

nuisible1490

nuisant1494

noxiousa1500

nocent?c1500

pestilential1531

tortious1532

pestilentious1533

nocive1538

offensivea1548

vitiating1547

dangerous1548

offending1552

dispendious1557

injurious1559

offensible1575

offensant1578

baneful1579

incommodious1579

prejudicious1579

prejudical1595

inimicous1598

damnifiable1604

taking1608

obnoxious1612

nocivousc1616

mischieving1621

nocuous1627

nocumentous1644

disserviceable1645

inimical1645

detrimentous1648

injuring1651

detrimental1656

inimicitial1656

nocumental1657

incommodous1677

fatal1681

inimic1696

nociferous1706

damnific1727

inimicable1805

violational1821

insalutary1836

detrimentary1841

wronging1845

unsalvatory1850

damaging1856

damnous1870

wack1986

the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > [adjective] > harmful or injurious > harmful or pernicious

baleOE

balefulc1175

venomousc1290

contagiousc1440

pestiferous1458

pestilent?a1475

perniciousc1475

pestilential1531

pestilentious1533

plaguey1574

deleterious1630

unedifying1641

perniciable1656

inedifying1659

unimproving1747

insalutary1836

unsalvatory1850

1458 in C. Babington Repressor (1860) I. p. lv. (note) The damnable doctrine and pestiferous sect of Reynold Pecock exceedeth in malice and horribility all other heresies and sects of heretics.

1523 in State Papers Henry VIII (1849) VI. 124 Moche bounde to Allmyghty God, that the Popes Holynes is rid of so pestiferous a Counsailour.

1579 T. Lodge Protogenes 19 If we shold beleue Herome he wil make Platos exiles honest men, & his pestiferous poets good preachers.

1630 tr. G. Botero Relations Famous Kingdomes World (rev. ed.) 111 Done by the perswasions of the pestiferous Jesuites.

a1715 Bp. G. Burnet Hist. Own Time (1724) I. 31 One of the most pestiferous ways of calumny.

1799 J. West Tale of Times III. xxxiii. 58 Pressing their pestiferous doctrines at every opportunity, they [sc. sceptics] deny us the freedom which they claim for themselves.

1824 Hist. Gaming Houses 16 Those pestiferous hordes of gamblers, black-legs, and sharpers.

1885 Manch. Examiner 18 July 5/3 They are said to pursue their pestiferous occupation unchecked.

1912 J. Conrad Secret Sharer i, in 'Twixt Land & Sea 113 I knew well enough the pestiferous danger of such a character where there are no means of legal repression.

1998 J. Ziegler Med. & Relig. c.1300 iii. 134 They remain immune to the poisonous words of pestiferous people.

2. literal.

a. Bringing or producing plague, esp. bubonic plague; injurious to health, noxious, deadly; pestilent, pestilential. Now chiefly historical.

ΘΚΠ

the world > health and disease > ill health > insalubrity > [adjective]

evilc1000

unsete1387

pestilenta1398

pestilentiala1398

unhealfulc1400

unthendec1425

unsetyc1440

unwholesomec1455

ill1488

pestifere1490

contagious1495

infectious1534

pestiferous1538

unhealthsome1544

unkindlyc1570

deletery1576

deleterious1587

bad1589

unhealthful1598

unsound1598

unhealthy1600

sickly1604

deleterial1621

tetrous1637

insalubrious1638

unseasoned1638

cankered1645

healthless1650

insalutary1694

maliferous1727

insanous1742

unsalubrious1781

unsanitary1872

insanitary1874

devitalizing1875

antihygienic1876

unhygienic1883

unhealthy-looking1890

1538 T. Elyot Dict. Pestifer, & Pestiferus,..that which bringeth in Pestilence.

1542 A. Borde Compend. Regyment Helth xxvii. sig. L.iii An ordre to be vsed in the Pestyferous tyme of the pestylence & swetyng sycknes.

1558 (?a1449) J. Lydgate Minor Poems (1911) i. 160 So thousands died..whiche tokened thus, that thoos Aungels wer pestiferus.

1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. 183 Vexed at certain houres..with the pestiferous heats and shaking colds of the feuer.

1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. vi. 256 [No] Trees, or Bushes, grow neere to Sodome..such is the consumation of that pestiferous Gulfe.

1726 G. Leoni tr. L. B. Alberti Architecture I. 3/1 We affirm the Air to be pestiferous, where there is a continued Collection of thick Clouds and stinking Vapours.

1794 A. Young Trav. (ed. 2) II. 148 The pestiferous climate of Sardinia is known to every body.

1830 M. R. Mitford Our Village IV. 175 Having lost many children in the pestiferous climate of Barbadoes.

1879 G. Meredith Egoist III. iv. 80 Then would his nostrils begin to lift and sniff at the creeping up of a thick pestiferous vapour.

1919 W. Lewis Caliph's Design ii. ii. 39 The smell of Harris tweeds, Euthymol, and the hot pestiferous Tube wind.

1992 P. C. Doherty Prince of Darkness (BNC) 182 They walked..into the pestiferous area around Newgate and down towards Cheapside.

b. Originally: †infected with a contagious disease, esp. bubonic plague. Also as n. (with the and plural agreement): such people as a class (obsolete). Later: caused by or of the nature of bubonic plague (now historical).

ΘΚΠ

the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > plague or pestilence > [adjective] > infected with

plagued1563

pestiferous1564

pestilential1568

plaguey1603

1564 T. Smith Let. 12 July in Cal. State Papers: Foreign (1870) (modernized text) 553. 175 Round the town there are tents of the pestiferous.

1586 in D. Masson Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1881) 1st Ser. IV. 46 [The bailies] to remove the saidis pestiferous personis..furth of the saidis houssis and mak the same..clene of the said pest.

a1684 J. Evelyn Diary anno 1665 (1955) III. 421 I was invironed with multitudes of poore pestiferous creatures, begging almes.

1722 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 32 21 A drachm of the said pestiferous bile..injected into the jugular vein of several dogs.

1772 tr. L. Rouppe Observ. Dis. Incidental to Seamen ii. §I 223 The clergyman ran down stairs, lest this pestiferous person come too near him.

1858 F. Faber tr. D. Bartoli & J. P. Maffei Life Xavier 369 A malady contracted in attending on the pestiferous.

1991 Rennaisance Q. 44 233 Marco's report..noted a swelling in the right groin..that could not rule out the fever as pestiferous.

c. Of an organism, esp. an insect: harmful, destructive.

ΘΚΠ

the world > animals > by nature > [adjective] > noxious or pestilential

vilea1525

prejudicial1602

verminly1653

vermineous1693

pestilential1697

pestiferous1731

vermine1839

1731 Gentleman's Mag. Jan. 12/1 The depredations of Locusts, Palmer-worms, Caterpillars, and other pestiferous Vermin.

1873 E. P. Roe What can she Do? xxii 329 Edith saw only the pestiferous weeds that threatened to destroy her one slender prospect of escape.

1894 Chicago Advance 27 Dec. 438/1 As pestiferous a creature as could be allowed to roam at large.

1930 Nature Mag. Mar. 136/2 Two other diseases, dengue and filariasis,..have been added to the list of maladies that are spread by these literally pestiferous insects.

1970 Encycl. Americana 269b/2 Among the most pestiferous of all mites are the six-legged harvest mites..well known to Americans as redbugs and chiggers.

1991 New Scientist (BNC) 16 Feb. Applied myrmecology [is] a subject that deals with the voluminous literature on pestiferous ants.

3. In weakened sense: constituting a nuisance; irritating, annoying. Now chiefly U.S. colloquial.

ΘΚΠ

the mind > emotion > suffering > state of annoyance or vexation > [adjective] > annoying or vexatious

angeeOE

swinkfuleOE

plightlyOE

teenfulOE

contrariousc1320

drefa1325

troublinga1325

despitousa1340

thornya1340

discomfortablec1350

troublablec1374

noyousa1382

noyfulc1384

diseasy1387

angrya1393

painful1395

hackinga1400

annoying?c1400

annoyousc1400

cumbrousc1400

teenc1400

annoyfulc1405

sputousc1420

diseasefula1425

molest?a1425

noying?a1425

noisomea1450

grievingc1450

tedious?1454

troublous1463

noisantc1475

displeasant1481

strouble1488

nuisant1494

noyanta1500

irksome1513

sturting1513

molestious1524

vexatious1534

cumbersome1535

uncommodious1541

spiteful1548

vexing?1548

incommodious1551

molestous1555

diseasing1558

grating1563

pestilent1565

sturtsome1570

molestuousa1572

troublesome1573

murrain1575

discommodable1579

galling1583

spiny1586

unsupportable1586

troubleful1588

plaguey1594

distressingc1595

molestful1596

molesting1598

vexful1598

fretful1603

briery1604

bemadding1608

mortifying1611

tiry1611

distressfula1616

irking1629

angersome1649

disobliging1652

discomforting1654

incomfortable1655

incommode1672

ruffling1680

unconvenient1683

pestifying1716

trying1718

offending1726

bothering1765

pesky1775

weary1785

sturty1788

unaccommodating1790

tiresome1798

werriting1808

bothersome1817

plaguesome1828

pestilential1833

fretsome1834

languorous1834

pesty1834

pestersome1843

nettlesome1845

miserable1850

niggling1854

distempering1855

be-maddeninga1861

nattery1873

nagging1883

pestiferous1890

trouble-giving1893

maddening1896

molestive1905

nuisancy1906

balls-aching?1912

nuisance1922

nattering1949

noodgy1969

dickheaded1991

dickish1991

cockish1996

c1600 Timon (1980) iii. iii. 45 These women are A pestiferous kinde of Animals.

1698 T. Dilke Pretenders iii. 24 What, Knight, art stung already with that pestiferous Viper Jealousie?

1812 J. Baillie Siege v. ii. 263 Heaven grant you..the detestation of every one annoyed with your pestiferous society.

1890 Texas Siftings 1 Nov. 8/1 The Mugwumps..are a pestiferous coterie of meddlesome, conceited, crack-brained cranks.

1909 Dial. Notes 3 356 [East Alabama] Pestiferous, annoying, bothersome. ‘These pestiferous mosquitoes.’

1979 Homes & Gardens June 34/3 Well, if I was a pestiferous jobbing gardener, I was going to look like one.

2003 San Francisco Chron. (Nexis) 11 May m1 Something I'm afraid to even Google, for fear of the pestiferous spam it might unleash.

Derivatives

peˈstiferousness n. the state or quality of being pestiferous.

ΘΚΠ

the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > plague or pestilence > [noun] > pestiferousness

pestiferousnessc1593

c1593 Thomas of Woodstock (2002) III. 127 I will do my best to reform the pestiferousness of the time.

1727 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. II Pestiferousness, Plague-bringing Quality, Destructiveness, Deadliness.

1875 J. Miller Metaphysics vii. 351 I am conscious of sin. I am conscious of its filth and shame. I am conscious of its pestiferousness as an evil.

2002 Pittsburgh (Pa.) Post-Gaz. (Nexis) 23 Apr. b1 Naturally, we all want our schools to be free of pestiferousness. Ants should be in their terrariums, rats in their little mazes.

This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).

单词	pestiferous
释义	pestiferousadj.n. Brit. /pɛˈstɪf(ə)rəs/, U.S. /pɛˈstɪf(ə)rəs/ Forms: late Middle English pestiferus (in a late copy), late Middle English– pestiferous, 1500s pestiferouse, 1500s pestyferous, 1500s–1600s pestifferous, 1600s 1800s pestifrous (nonstandard); Scottish pre-1700 pestiferus, pre-1700 pestiforus, pre-1700 1800s– pestiferous. Origin: A borrowing from Latin, combined with an English element. Etymons: Latin pestifer , -ous suffix. Etymology: < classical Latin pestifer causing death or destruction, noxious, pestilential, pernicious ( < pestis pest n. + -fer -fer comb. form) + -ous suffix; compare -ferous comb. form. Compare Middle French pestiféreux (1530 or earlier), Middle French, French pestifère pestifere adj., Catalan pestífer (14th cent.), Spanish pestífero (1350). Compare later pestifere adj., and earlier pestilent adj., pestilential adj.In sense 2b after Middle French, French pestiféré (1531 as adjective and noun). 1. Morally or socially harmful; pernicious. ΘΚΠ the mind > goodness and badness > harmfulness > [adjective] litherc893 scathefulc900 balefulOE orneOE teenfulOE evilc1175 venomousc1290 scathela1300 prejudiciala1325 fell?c1335 harmfula1340 grievous1340 ill1340 wicked1340 noisomea1382 venomed1382 noyfulc1384 damageousc1386 mischievousc1390 unwholesomea1400 undisposingc1400 damnablec1420 prejudiciable1429 contagiousc1440 damagefulc1449 pestiferous1458 damageable1474 pestilent?a1475 nuisable1483 nocible1490 nuisible1490 nuisant1494 noxiousa1500 nocent?c1500 pestilential1531 tortious1532 pestilentious1533 nocive1538 offensivea1548 vitiating1547 dangerous1548 offending1552 dispendious1557 injurious1559 offensible1575 offensant1578 baneful1579 incommodious1579 prejudicious1579 prejudical1595 inimicous1598 damnifiable1604 taking1608 obnoxious1612 nocivousc1616 mischieving1621 nocuous1627 nocumentous1644 disserviceable1645 inimical1645 detrimentous1648 injuring1651 detrimental1656 inimicitial1656 nocumental1657 incommodous1677 fatal1681 inimic1696 nociferous1706 damnific1727 inimicable1805 violational1821 insalutary1836 detrimentary1841 wronging1845 unsalvatory1850 damaging1856 damnous1870 wack1986 the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > [adjective] > harmful or injurious > harmful or pernicious baleOE balefulc1175 venomousc1290 contagiousc1440 pestiferous1458 pestilent?a1475 perniciousc1475 pestilential1531 pestilentious1533 plaguey1574 deleterious1630 unedifying1641 perniciable1656 inedifying1659 unimproving1747 insalutary1836 unsalvatory1850 1458 in C. Babington Repressor (1860) I. p. lv. (note) The damnable doctrine and pestiferous sect of Reynold Pecock exceedeth in malice and horribility all other heresies and sects of heretics. 1523 in State Papers Henry VIII (1849) VI. 124 Moche bounde to Allmyghty God, that the Popes Holynes is rid of so pestiferous a Counsailour. 1579 T. Lodge Protogenes 19 If we shold beleue Herome he wil make Platos exiles honest men, & his pestiferous poets good preachers. 1630 tr. G. Botero Relations Famous Kingdomes World (rev. ed.) 111 Done by the perswasions of the pestiferous Jesuites. a1715 Bp. G. Burnet Hist. Own Time (1724) I. 31 One of the most pestiferous ways of calumny. 1799 J. West Tale of Times III. xxxiii. 58 Pressing their pestiferous doctrines at every opportunity, they [sc. sceptics] deny us the freedom which they claim for themselves. 1824 Hist. Gaming Houses 16 Those pestiferous hordes of gamblers, black-legs, and sharpers. 1885 Manch. Examiner 18 July 5/3 They are said to pursue their pestiferous occupation unchecked. 1912 J. Conrad Secret Sharer i, in 'Twixt Land & Sea 113 I knew well enough the pestiferous danger of such a character where there are no means of legal repression. 1998 J. Ziegler Med. & Relig. c.1300 iii. 134 They remain immune to the poisonous words of pestiferous people. 2. literal. a. Bringing or producing plague, esp. bubonic plague; injurious to health, noxious, deadly; pestilent, pestilential. Now chiefly historical. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > ill health > insalubrity > [adjective] evilc1000 unsete1387 pestilenta1398 pestilentiala1398 unhealfulc1400 unthendec1425 unsetyc1440 unwholesomec1455 ill1488 pestifere1490 contagious1495 infectious1534 pestiferous1538 unhealthsome1544 unkindlyc1570 deletery1576 deleterious1587 bad1589 unhealthful1598 unsound1598 unhealthy1600 sickly1604 deleterial1621 tetrous1637 insalubrious1638 unseasoned1638 cankered1645 healthless1650 insalutary1694 maliferous1727 insanous1742 unsalubrious1781 unsanitary1872 insanitary1874 devitalizing1875 antihygienic1876 unhygienic1883 unhealthy-looking1890 1538 T. Elyot Dict. Pestifer, & Pestiferus,..that which bringeth in Pestilence. 1542 A. Borde Compend. Regyment Helth xxvii. sig. L.iii An ordre to be vsed in the Pestyferous tyme of the pestylence & swetyng sycknes. 1558 (?a1449) J. Lydgate Minor Poems (1911) i. 160 So thousands died..whiche tokened thus, that thoos Aungels wer pestiferus. 1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World I. 183 Vexed at certain houres..with the pestiferous heats and shaking colds of the feuer. 1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. vi. 256 [No] Trees, or Bushes, grow neere to Sodome..such is the consumation of that pestiferous Gulfe. 1726 G. Leoni tr. L. B. Alberti Architecture I. 3/1 We affirm the Air to be pestiferous, where there is a continued Collection of thick Clouds and stinking Vapours. 1794 A. Young Trav. (ed. 2) II. 148 The pestiferous climate of Sardinia is known to every body. 1830 M. R. Mitford Our Village IV. 175 Having lost many children in the pestiferous climate of Barbadoes. 1879 G. Meredith Egoist III. iv. 80 Then would his nostrils begin to lift and sniff at the creeping up of a thick pestiferous vapour. 1919 W. Lewis Caliph's Design ii. ii. 39 The smell of Harris tweeds, Euthymol, and the hot pestiferous Tube wind. 1992 P. C. Doherty Prince of Darkness (BNC) 182 They walked..into the pestiferous area around Newgate and down towards Cheapside. b. Originally: †infected with a contagious disease, esp. bubonic plague. Also as n. (with the and plural agreement): such people as a class (obsolete). Later: caused by or of the nature of bubonic plague (now historical). ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > plague or pestilence > [adjective] > infected with plagued1563 pestiferous1564 pestilential1568 plaguey1603 1564 T. Smith Let. 12 July in Cal. State Papers: Foreign (1870) (modernized text) 553. 175 Round the town there are tents of the pestiferous. 1586 in D. Masson Reg. Privy Council Scotl. (1881) 1st Ser. IV. 46 [The bailies] to remove the saidis pestiferous personis..furth of the saidis houssis and mak the same..clene of the said pest. a1684 J. Evelyn Diary anno 1665 (1955) III. 421 I was invironed with multitudes of poore pestiferous creatures, begging almes. 1722 Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 32 21 A drachm of the said pestiferous bile..injected into the jugular vein of several dogs. 1772 tr. L. Rouppe Observ. Dis. Incidental to Seamen ii. §I 223 The clergyman ran down stairs, lest this pestiferous person come too near him. 1858 F. Faber tr. D. Bartoli & J. P. Maffei Life Xavier 369 A malady contracted in attending on the pestiferous. 1991 Rennaisance Q. 44 233 Marco's report..noted a swelling in the right groin..that could not rule out the fever as pestiferous. c. Of an organism, esp. an insect: harmful, destructive. ΘΚΠ the world > animals > by nature > [adjective] > noxious or pestilential vilea1525 prejudicial1602 verminly1653 vermineous1693 pestilential1697 pestiferous1731 vermine1839 1731 Gentleman's Mag. Jan. 12/1 The depredations of Locusts, Palmer-worms, Caterpillars, and other pestiferous Vermin. 1873 E. P. Roe What can she Do? xxii 329 Edith saw only the pestiferous weeds that threatened to destroy her one slender prospect of escape. 1894 Chicago Advance 27 Dec. 438/1 As pestiferous a creature as could be allowed to roam at large. 1930 Nature Mag. Mar. 136/2 Two other diseases, dengue and filariasis,..have been added to the list of maladies that are spread by these literally pestiferous insects. 1970 Encycl. Americana 269b/2 Among the most pestiferous of all mites are the six-legged harvest mites..well known to Americans as redbugs and chiggers. 1991 New Scientist (BNC) 16 Feb. Applied myrmecology [is] a subject that deals with the voluminous literature on pestiferous ants. 3. In weakened sense: constituting a nuisance; irritating, annoying. Now chiefly U.S. colloquial. ΘΚΠ the mind > emotion > suffering > state of annoyance or vexation > [adjective] > annoying or vexatious angeeOE swinkfuleOE plightlyOE teenfulOE contrariousc1320 drefa1325 troublinga1325 despitousa1340 thornya1340 discomfortablec1350 troublablec1374 noyousa1382 noyfulc1384 diseasy1387 angrya1393 painful1395 hackinga1400 annoying?c1400 annoyousc1400 cumbrousc1400 teenc1400 annoyfulc1405 sputousc1420 diseasefula1425 molest?a1425 noying?a1425 noisomea1450 grievingc1450 tedious?1454 troublous1463 noisantc1475 displeasant1481 strouble1488 nuisant1494 noyanta1500 irksome1513 sturting1513 molestious1524 vexatious1534 cumbersome1535 uncommodious1541 spiteful1548 vexing?1548 incommodious1551 molestous1555 diseasing1558 grating1563 pestilent1565 sturtsome1570 molestuousa1572 troublesome1573 murrain1575 discommodable1579 galling1583 spiny1586 unsupportable1586 troubleful1588 plaguey1594 distressingc1595 molestful1596 molesting1598 vexful1598 fretful1603 briery1604 bemadding1608 mortifying1611 tiry1611 distressfula1616 irking1629 angersome1649 disobliging1652 discomforting1654 incomfortable1655 incommode1672 ruffling1680 unconvenient1683 pestifying1716 trying1718 offending1726 bothering1765 pesky1775 weary1785 sturty1788 unaccommodating1790 tiresome1798 werriting1808 bothersome1817 plaguesome1828 pestilential1833 fretsome1834 languorous1834 pesty1834 pestersome1843 nettlesome1845 miserable1850 niggling1854 distempering1855 be-maddeninga1861 nattery1873 nagging1883 pestiferous1890 trouble-giving1893 maddening1896 molestive1905 nuisancy1906 balls-aching?1912 nuisance1922 nattering1949 noodgy1969 dickheaded1991 dickish1991 cockish1996 c1600 Timon (1980) iii. iii. 45 These women are A pestiferous kinde of Animals. 1698 T. Dilke Pretenders iii. 24 What, Knight, art stung already with that pestiferous Viper Jealousie? 1812 J. Baillie Siege v. ii. 263 Heaven grant you..the detestation of every one annoyed with your pestiferous society. 1890 Texas Siftings 1 Nov. 8/1 The Mugwumps..are a pestiferous coterie of meddlesome, conceited, crack-brained cranks. 1909 Dial. Notes 3 356 [East Alabama] Pestiferous, annoying, bothersome. ‘These pestiferous mosquitoes.’ 1979 Homes & Gardens June 34/3 Well, if I was a pestiferous jobbing gardener, I was going to look like one. 2003 San Francisco Chron. (Nexis) 11 May m1 Something I'm afraid to even Google, for fear of the pestiferous spam it might unleash. Derivatives peˈstiferousness n. the state or quality of being pestiferous. ΘΚΠ the world > health and disease > ill health > a disease > plague or pestilence > [noun] > pestiferousness pestiferousnessc1593 c1593 Thomas of Woodstock (2002) III. 127 I will do my best to reform the pestiferousness of the time. 1727 N. Bailey Universal Etymol. Eng. Dict. II Pestiferousness, Plague-bringing Quality, Destructiveness, Deadliness. 1875 J. Miller Metaphysics vii. 351 I am conscious of sin. I am conscious of its filth and shame. I am conscious of its pestiferousness as an evil. 2002 Pittsburgh (Pa.) Post-Gaz. (Nexis) 23 Apr. b1 Naturally, we all want our schools to be free of pestiferousness. Ants should be in their terrariums, rats in their little mazes. This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022). < adj.n.1458
随便看	livingness livingnesses livingout system livings livingstone daisy livingstonite livish livishly livity livonian livor livor mortis livornese livraison livre livre dartiste livre de chevet livre de circonstance livre of tours livre tournois livres livret livyer livyere livyers