infected by radiation poisoning

Laurence Horn laurence.horn at YALE.EDU
Thu Aug 4 14:55:51 UTC 2011


I do like that "morbific".  Seems to be begging for a contemporary extension into "morberrific!"

LH

On Aug 4, 2011, at 10:16 AM, Joel S. Berson wrote:

> Seems like an old and honored sense.  From the OED:
>
> To imbue a person or thing with certain (esp.
> bad) qualities; said either of the personal or material agent.
>
> ...
> 4. a. To affect (a person, animal, or part of the
> body) with disease; to communicate a morbific
> virus or noxious germs so as to generate disease;
> to act upon by infection or contagion. Also absol.  (c1386 through 1845)
>
> [And then various senses less literally related to noxiousness or disease.]
>
> Joel
>

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