Rabies is a serious disease which causes people and animals to go mad and die. Rabies is particularly common in dogs.
rabies in British English
(ˈreɪbiːz)
noun
pathology
an acute infectious viral disease of the nervous system transmitted by the saliva of infected animals, esp dogs. It is characterized by excessive salivation, aversion to water, convulsions, and paralysis
Also called: hydrophobia, lyssa
Derived forms
rabic (ˈræbɪk) or rabietic (ˌreɪbɪˈɛtɪk)
adjective
Word origin
C17: from Latin: madness, from rabere to rave
rabies in American English
(ˈreɪbiz)
noun
an acute, infectious viral disease of mammals, that attacks the central nervous system: it can be transmitted to people through the bite of an infected animal and is characterized by choking, convulsions, inability to swallow, etc.
Word origin
L, madness < rabere: see rabid
Examples of 'rabies' in a sentence
rabies
She did not have a rabies jab before flying out.
The Sun (2012)
It also produces ingredients for vaccines for rabies and hepatitis.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The dog is now being tested for rabies.
The Sun (2011)
IT'S only a myth that just dogs carry rabies and that people who have lived overseas are immune to some diseases.
The Sun (2010)
Luckily the apes don't carry rabies.
The Sun (2008)
He was the first to use vaccines for rabies, anthrax and chicken cholera.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The pup was brought in from Hungary but there are worries it was too young for rabies jabs to have worked.
The Sun (2013)
They can also carry rabies.
The Sun (2009)
The rabies vaccine is extremely effective but you can avoid the disease by keeping away any animal that isn't a pet.
The Sun (2012)
It said diseases like rabies were a'real threat '.
The Sun (2014)
The dog was being held in quarantine yesterday, while it is tested for rabies, after which it is expected to be put down.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Word lists with
rabies
Human diseases
In other languages
rabies
British English: rabies /ˈreɪbiːz/ NOUN
Rabies is a serious infectious disease which humans can get from the bite of an animal such as a dog which has the disease.