plagues
plagues — 動詞
- plaguespresent simple I / you / we / they
- plagueses3rd person singular
- plaguesing-ing form
- plaguesedpast simple
1. to cause repeated serious trouble or suffering for a person, group, or thing, co
困擾；折磨
長期造成痛苦或困難
to cause repeated serious trouble or suffering for a person, group, or thing, continuing for a long time — for example, a business that cannot escape financial problems, or a community where crime never stops.
The construction project was plagued by delays from the very first week.
這個建築工程從第一週起就受到延誤的困擾。
passive: be plagued by [problem]
For years, the region has been plagued by drought and food shortages.
多年來，該地區一直遭受乾旱和糧食短缺之苦。
A series of technical problems plagued the new software after its launch.
新軟體推出後就受到一連串技術問題的困擾。
The retired athlete was plagued by knee pain that never fully healed.
這位退休運動員一直受膝蓋疼痛所苦，始終未能痊癒。
Financial worries plagued the family after the factory shut down.
工廠關閉後，財務問題一直困擾著這個家庭。
文法句型
be plagued by [problem]
be plagued with [difficulty]
[problem] plague + [someone/something]
用法筆記
Frequently used in the passive voice (be plagued by / be plagued with) to describe ongoing difficulties. The active form places the problem as the subject.
常見錯誤
2. to keep annoying or bothering someone by repeatedly asking for things, making re
糾纏；騷擾
持續打擾或煩擾他人
to keep annoying or bothering someone by repeatedly asking for things, making requests, or interrupting them — for example, children plaguing their parents for treats, or journalists plaguing a politician with questions.
The reporter plagued the politician with questions about the scandal every day.
這位記者天天追著政治人物追問醜聞相關問題。
plague + [someone] + with + [questions]
Street vendors plagued the tourists, trying to sell them cheap souvenirs.
街頭小販不斷糾纏觀光客，向他們兜售廉價紀念品。
My little brother plagued me all afternoon to play video games with him.
我弟弟整個下午一直吵著要我陪他打電動。
The celebrity was plagued by paparazzi wherever she went.
那位名人走到哪裡都被狗仔隊騷擾。
Neighbors plagued the landlord with complaints about the broken elevator.
鄰居們不斷向房東抱怨電梯壞掉的事。
- leave alone
to stop bothering someone
文法句型
plague + [someone] + with + [questions/requests]
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1 ('CAUSE TROUBLE'), this sense focuses on deliberate or repeated human annoyance rather than ongoing problems or conditions. The pattern 'plague someone with something' specifies the method of annoyance.
常見錯誤
plagues — 名詞
- plaguessingular
- plaguesesplural
1. a very serious infectious disease that spreads quickly and often kills large num
瘟疫
傳染力強且致死率高的嚴重疾病
a very serious infectious disease that spreads quickly and often kills large numbers of people, especially the bubonic plague that caused millions of deaths in the Middle Ages.
The bubonic plague wiped out nearly a third of Europe's population in the 1300s.
十四世紀的黑死病奪走了歐洲近三分之一的人口。
the + bubonic plague (specific disease name)
Modern medicine has made it possible to treat most plagues with antibiotics.
現代醫學已經能用抗生素治療大多數的瘟疫。
plagues (plural for different types)
Villagers fled their homes to escape the spreading plague.
村民們逃離家園以躲避蔓延的瘟疫。
The plague spread rapidly through the crowded city, killing thousands within weeks.
瘟疫在擁擠的城市中迅速蔓延，幾週內就奪走數千條人命。
Scientists warn that new plagues could emerge as global temperatures rise.
科學家警告，隨著全球氣溫上升，可能出現新的瘟疫。
- pestilence
archaic or literary term for a deadly epidemic disease
- epidemic
broader term; a disease that spreads rapidly without necessarily being fatal
文法句型
the plague
a plague
plagues (plural for different outbreaks/types)
用法筆記
When referring specifically to the bubonic plague of history, use 'the plague'. The plural 'plagues' refers to different outbreaks or types. As an uncountable noun, 'plague' can mean the disease generally ('a vaccine for plague').
常見錯誤
2. a very large number of harmful or unpleasant animals, insects, or things that ap
禍患；災害
突然大量出現的有害事物
a very large number of harmful or unpleasant animals, insects, or things that appear suddenly and cause serious damage or trouble — for example, a plague of locusts destroying crops, or a plague of rats in a city.
The region suffered a plague of locusts that destroyed all the crops.
該地區遭受蝗災，所有農作物都被摧毀。
a plague of [insects/animals]
The city is facing a plague of rats in the old subway tunnels.
城市舊地鐵隧道正面臨鼠患問題。
A plague of mosquitos kept everyone indoors during the summer evenings.
夏季傍晚蚊子肆虐，大家都只能待在室內。
The neighborhood was hit by a plague of car break-ins over the winter.
這個社區在冬天遭遇了一波汽車遭竊的災害。
Online platforms are struggling with a plague of fake accounts and spam messages.
線上平台正努力應對假帳號和垃圾訊息的氾濫。
- infestation
more clinical term for insects or animals in large numbers
- swarm
specific to flying insects moving together
- outbreak
broader term; can be used for diseases, violence, or crime
文法句型
a plague of [harmful things]
用法筆記
This sense always appears in the pattern 'a plague of + [noun]', where the noun names the harmful or unwanted things. The expression can be used literally (for insects, animals) or figuratively (for crime, spam, etc.).
常見錯誤
3. a terrible event that causes great suffering, damage, or loss, often viewed as a
天災；災難
造成重大苦難的重大災禍
a terrible event that causes great suffering, damage, or loss, often viewed as a form of divine punishment or an unavoidable disaster — for example, the ten plagues of Egypt described in the Bible, or natural disasters seen as plagues upon humanity.
In the Bible, Egypt was struck by ten plagues before the pharaoh freed the slaves.
在聖經中，埃及遭受十災後法老才釋放奴隸。
the ten plagues of Egypt (Biblical reference)
Earthquakes, floods, and other natural plagues have struck the region repeatedly.
地震、洪水和其他自然災難反覆侵襲該地區。
The villagers believed the drought was a plague sent to punish their wrongdoing.
村民們認為這場乾旱是上天降下懲罰他們的災難。
War remains one of the worst plagues humanity has ever known.
戰爭仍然是人類所知最嚴重的災難之一。
Historians study how ancient civilizations collapsed under plagues and famines.
歷史學家研究古代文明如何在災難和饑荒中崩潰。
- calamity
similar in formality; a terrible event causing great harm
- catastrophe
emphasises the scale of destruction; very common in modern English
- affliction
suggests suffering as a burden placed upon someone
- blessing
a good thing sent or received
文法句型
the plagues of [something]
a plague upon [someone/something]
用法筆記
This sense carries strong religious or fatalistic overtones — it often implies that the disaster is a punishment or an unavoidable fate. Distinguish from sense 2 ('INFESTATION'), which refers to a sudden large number of harmful things, not necessarily a large-scale calamity.
常見錯誤
❌ 'The flood was a plague that damaged many houses.' (acceptable but weak) — Better: 'The flood was a calamity that devastated the whole region.' — For natural disasters, 'catastrophe' or 'calamity' are more natural in modern English; 'plague' in this sense tends to be formal or Biblical.
4. someone or something that is always annoying or causing trouble in small ways, t
煩惱；麻煩
令人煩惱或討厭的人事物
someone or something that is always annoying or causing trouble in small ways, though not seriously harmful — for example, a dripping tap that is a plague in the kitchen, or a colleague who keeps interrupting your work.
The new neighbor's loud music is a real plague to everyone in the building.
新鄰居大聲放音樂，對整棟大樓的住戶來說真是個煩惱。
a real plague to [someone]
My old computer has become a plague — it crashes every time I try to work.
我那台舊電腦真是個麻煩，每次我要工作就當機。
A plague of constant phone calls from telemarketers interrupts our dinner.
電話推銷員不斷打來打擾我們吃晚餐，真是煩人。
Those stray cats have become a neighborhood plague, knocking over trash cans every night.
那些流浪貓每晚翻倒垃圾桶，成了社區的煩惱。
The slow internet connection is a plague for anyone trying to stream videos.
緩慢的網路連線對想串流影片的人來說真是件煩人事。
- delight
something that gives pleasure
文法句型
a plague
a real plague
a bit of a plague
用法筆記
This is an informal, somewhat old-fashioned use. It overlaps in meaning with 'nuisance' but is less common in everyday speech. Often appears with intensifiers like 'real', 'absolute', or 'bit of a'.