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infection


  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Infection  \In*fec"tion\,  n.  [Cf.  F.  infection,  L.  infectio  a 
  dyeing.] 
  1.  The  act  or  process  of  infecting. 
 
  There  was  a  strict  order  against  coming  to  those 
  pits,  and  that  was  only  to  prevent  infection.  --De 
  Foe. 
 
  2.  That  which  infects,  or  causes  the  communicated  disease; 
  any  effluvium,  miasm,  or  pestilential  matter  by  which  an 
  infectious  disease  is  caused. 
 
  And  that  which  was  still  worse,  they  that  did  thus 
  break  out  spread  the  infection  further  by  their 
  wandering  about  with  the  distemper  upon  them  --De 
  Foe. 
 
  3.  The  state  of  being  infected;  contamination  by  morbific 
  particles;  the  result  of  infecting  influence;  a  prevailing 
  disease;  epidemic. 
 
  The  danger  was  really  very  great,  the  infection 
  being  so  very  violent  in  London.  --De  Foe. 
 
  4.  That  which  taints  or  corrupts  morally;  as  the  infection 
  of  vicious  principles. 
 
  It  was  her  chance  to  light  Amidst  the  gross 
  infections  of  those  times.  --Daniel. 
 
  5.  (Law)  Contamination  by  illegality,  as  in  cases  of 
  contraband  goods;  implication. 
 
  6.  Sympathetic  communication  of  like  qualities  or  emotions; 
  influence. 
 
  Through  all  her  train  the  soft  infection  ran. 
  --Pope. 
 
  Mankind  are  gay  or  serious  by  infection.  --Rambler. 
 
  Syn:  {Infection},  {Contagion}. 
 
  Usage:  Infection  is  often  used  in  a  definite  and  limited 
  sense  of  the  transmission  of  affections  without  direct 
  contact  of  individuals  or  immediate  application  or 
  introduction  of  the  morbific  agent,  in 
  contradistinction  to  contagion,  which  then  implies 
  transmission  by  direct  contact  Quain.  See 
  {Contagious}. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  infection 
  n  1:  invasion  of  the  body  by  pathogenic  microorganisms  causing 
  inflammation 
  2:  an  incident  is  which  an  infectious  disease  is  transmitted 
  [syn:  {contagion},  {transmission}] 




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