| 释义 |
con·ta·gion
\kənˈtājən\ noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English contagioun, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French contagion, from Latin contagion-, contagio, from contag- (from contingere to touch, to pollute) + -ion-, -io -ion — more at contingent
1.
a. : the process by which disease is transmitted from one person to another by direct or indirect means
b. : a contagious disease
c. : something that serves as a medium to transmit disease : a virus or other infective agent that may produce disease
2.
a. : poison
< I'll touch my point with this contagion — Shakespeare >
b. : contagious influence, quality, or nature
< to dare the vile contagion of the night — Shakespeare >
c. : evil or corrupting influence or contact
< war … had become … a contagion attacking neutrals as well as belligerents — Saturday Review >
3.
a. : the spread or communication or the tendency to be communicated of any influence, doctrine, emotion, or emotional state
< the contagion of love obeys no human logic — John Erskine †1951 >
< the contagion of mob enthusiasm — H.L.Mencken >
b. : an influence, doctrine, or emotion that spreads rapidly
< when people began to run the contagion spread and soon the whole mob was running > |