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Persecute vs Plague - What's the difference?

persecute | plague | Related terms |

As verbs the difference between persecute and plague

is that persecute is to pursue in a manner to injure, grieve, or afflict; to beset with cruelty or malignity; to harass; especially, to afflict, harass, punish, or put to death for one's race, sexual identity, adherence to a particular religious creed, or mode of worship while plague is to harass, pester or annoy someone persistently or incessantly.

As a noun plague is

the bubonic plague, the pestilent disease caused by the virulent bacterium Yersinia pestis.

persecute

English

Verb

(persecut)
  • To pursue in a manner to injure, grieve, or afflict; to beset with cruelty or malignity; to harass; especially, to afflict, harass, punish, or put to death for one's race, sexual identity, adherence to a particular religious creed, or mode of worship.
  • "Do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." – Matt. 5:44.
  • To harass with importunity; to pursue with persistent solicitations; to annoy.
  • Synonyms

    * oppress, harass, distress, worry, annoy

    References

    (Webster 1913) ----

    plague

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The bubonic plague, the pestilent disease caused by the virulent bacterium ''Yersinia pestis .
  • (pathology) An epidemic or pandemic caused by any pestilence, but specifically by the above disease.
  • A widespread affliction, calamity or destructive influx, especially when seen as divine retribution.
  • Ten Biblical plagues over Egypt, ranging from locusts to the death of the crown prince, finally forced Pharaoh to let Moses's people go.
  • A grave nuisance, whatever greatly irritates
  • Bart is an utter plague ; his pranks never cease.

    Synonyms

    * pest

    Derived terms

    * plaguesome * plaguey

    Verb

  • To harass, pester or annoy someone persistently or incessantly.
  • Wikis are often plagued by vandalism
  • To afflict with a disease or other calamity.
  • ''Natural catastrophies plagued the colonists till they abandoned the pestilent marshland

    Derived terms

    * plaguer