Word Meanings - VIRUS - Book Publishers vocabulary database

Contagious or poisonous matter, as of specific ulcers, the bite of snakes, etc.; -- applied to organic poisons. The special contagion, inappreciable to the senses and acting in exceedingly minute quantities, by which a disease is introduced into

Additional info about word: VIRUS

Contagious or poisonous matter, as of specific ulcers, the bite of snakes, etc.; -- applied to organic poisons. The special contagion, inappreciable to the senses and acting in exceedingly minute quantities, by which a disease is introduced into the organism and maintained there. Note: The specific virus of diseases is now regarded as a microscopic living vegetable organism which multiplies within the body, and, either by its own action or by the associated development of a chemical poison, causes the phenomena of the special disease. 2. Fig.: Any morbid corrupting quality in intellectual or moral conditions; something that poisons the mind or the soul; as, the virus of obscene books.

Related words: (words related to VIRUS)

• ACTURE
  Action. Shak.
• ACTURIENCE
  Tendency or impulse to act. Acturience, or desire of action, in one form or another, whether as restlessness, ennui, dissatisfaction, or the imagination of something desirable. J. Grote.
• ACTINOLITE
  A bright green variety of amphibole occurring usually in fibrous or columnar masses.
• SPECIFICNESS
  The quality or state of being specific.
• ACTINOSTOME
  The mouth or anterior opening of a coelenterate animal.
• APPLICABLE
  Capable of being applied; fit or suitable to be applied; having relevance; as, this observation is applicable to the case under consideration. -- Ap"pli*ca*ble*ness, n. -- Ap"pli*ca*bly, adv.
• ACTINARIA
  A large division of Anthozoa, including those which have simple tentacles and do not form stony corals. Sometimes, in a wider sense, applied to all the Anthozoa, expert the Alcyonaria, whether forming corals or not.
• ACTUARIAL
  Of or pertaining to actuaries; as, the actuarial value of an annuity.
• ORGANICALNESS
  The quality or state of being organic.
• INTRODUCTOR
  An introducer.
• ACTUALIZE
  To make actual; to realize in action. Coleridge.
• APPLICATIVE
  Having of being applied or used; applying; applicatory; practical. Bramhall. -- Ap"pli*ca*tive*ly, adv.
• MATTER
  1. To be of importance; to import; to signify. It matters not how they were called. Locke. 2. To form pus or matter, as an abscess; to maturate. "Each slight sore mattereth." Sir P. Sidney.
• ACTIVITY
  The state or quality of being active; nimbleness; agility; vigorous action or operation; energy; active force; as, an increasing variety of human activities. "The activity of toil." Palfrey. Syn. -- Liveliness; briskness; quickness.
• ACTUATE
  Etym: 1. To put into action or motion; to move or incite to action; to influence actively; to move as motives do; -- more commonly used of persons. Wings, which others were contriving to actuate by the perpetual motion. Johnson. Men of the greatest
• SPECIFICALLY
  In a specific manner.
• ACTINOPHOROUS
  Having straight projecting spines.
• APPLICANCY
  The quality or state of being applicable.
• APPLICABILITY
  The quality of being applicable or fit to be applied.
• ACTION
  Effective motion; also, mechanism; as, the breech action of a gun. (more info) 1. A process or condition of acting or moving, as opposed to rest; the doing of something; exertion of power or force, as when one body acts on another; the effect of
• SELF-ACTIVE
  Acting of one's self or of itself; acting without depending on other agents.
• CHYLIFACTIVE
  Producing, or converting into, chyle; having the power to form chyle.
• HEMIDACTYL
  Any species of Old World geckoes of the genus Hemidactylus. The hemidactyls have dilated toes, with two rows of plates beneath.
• PHYLACTERED
  Wearing a phylactery.
• HODGKIN'S DISEASE
  A morbid condition characterized by progressive anæmia and enlargement of the lymphatic glands; -- first described by Dr. Hodgkin, an English physician.
• INACTUATE
  To put in action.
• INTRACTABILITY
  The quality of being intractable; intractableness. Bp. Hurd.
• CHARACTERISTIC
  Pertaining to, or serving to constitute, the character; showing the character, or distinctive qualities or traits, of a person or thing; peculiar; distinctive. Characteristic clearness of temper. Macaulay.
• JUMPING DISEASE
  A convulsive tic similar to or identical with miryachit, observed among the woodsmen of Maine.
• COUNTERACTIVE
  Tending to counteract.
• RIPPER ACT; RIPPER BILL
  An act or a bill conferring upon a chief executive, as a governor or mayor, large powers of appointment and removal of heads of departments or other subordinate officials.
• INEXACTLY
  In a manner not exact or precise; inaccurately. R. A. Proctor.
• LACTOSCOPE
  An instrument for estimating the amount of cream contained in milk by ascertaining its relative opacity.