pox en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /pɑks/ (US)
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
From the plural of Middle English pocke. See also pock. The curse sense involves metonymy: wishing a literal pox upon someone is the original form of pox-relevant curse, and the word pox itself also came to mean curse.
Meanings
- (countable, uncountable) A disease characterized by skin eruptions (especially purulent ones) that may leave pockmarks.
- (countable, uncountable) A disease characterized by skin eruptions (especially purulent ones) that may leave pockmarks. ▸ Syphilis.
-
(countable, figuratively, uncountable) A curse.
a pox on all their houses
A pox on him, he's a cat still.
c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| poxes | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Deriveds
volepox · mousepox · sealpox · milkpox · pox party · plum pox · hornpox · whitepox · water pox · skunk pox · orthopox · parapox · camelpox · smallpox · French pox · poxvirus · scrumpox · cowpox · sheeppox · raccoonpox · poxless · goatpox · canarypox · fowlpox · antipox · monkey-pox · horse-pox · pox doctor's clerk · carp pox · cottonpox · buffalopox · hog pox · Tanapox · monkey pox · turkeypox · a pox on · rickettsialpox · squirrelpox · kine-pox · swinepox · great-pox · poxviral · rabbitpox · poxy · chicken pox · pseudopox · wartpox · horsepox · poxlike · monkeypox
Translations (18)
fi rokkotauti (A disease characterized by purulent skin eruptions that may leave pockmark — see also smallpox, variola) · ca buba (A disease characterized by purulent skin eruptions that may leave pockmark — see also smallpox, variola) · pl ospa (A disease characterized by purulent skin eruptions that may leave pockmark — see also smallpox, variola) · cmn 痘 (A disease characterized by purulent skin eruptions that may leave pockmark — see also smallpox, variola) · fr petite vérole (A disease characterized by purulent skin eruptions that may leave pockmark — see also smallpox, variola) · ja 痘瘡 (A disease characterized by purulent skin eruptions that may leave pockmark — see also smallpox, variola) · fr variole (A disease characterized by purulent skin eruptions that may leave pockmark — see also smallpox, variola) · fi rokko (A disease characterized by purulent skin eruptions that may leave pockmark — see also smallpox, variola) · cs neštovice (A disease characterized by purulent skin eruptions that may leave pockmark — see also smallpox, variola) · izh ruikko (A disease characterized by purulent skin eruptions that may leave pockmark — see also smallpox, variola) · vi đậu (A disease characterized by purulent skin eruptions that may leave pockmark — see also smallpox, variola) · ru о́спа (A disease characterized by purulent skin eruptions that may leave pockmark — see also smallpox, variola) · bg шарка (A disease characterized by purulent skin eruptions that may leave pockmark — see also smallpox, variola) · sh boginje (A disease characterized by purulent skin eruptions that may leave pockmark — see also smallpox, variola) · la variola (A disease characterized by purulent skin eruptions that may leave pockmark — see also smallpox, variola) · fr vérole (A disease characterized by purulent skin eruptions that may leave pockmark — see also smallpox, variola) · pt varíola (A disease characterized by purulent skin eruptions that may leave pockmark — see also smallpox, variola) · fa آبله (A disease characterized by purulent skin eruptions that may leave pockmark — see also smallpox, variola)