ague
[ey-gyoo]
- Pathology. a malarial fever characterized by regularly returning paroxysms, marked by successive cold, hot, and sweating fits.
- a fit of fever or shivering or shaking chills, accompanied by malaise, pains in the bones and joints, etc.; chill.
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Origin of ague
1250–1300; Middle English < Middle French, short for fievre ague acute fever < Latin febris acūta
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for ague
Historical Examples
"Yes, and catch their deaths of fever and ague," said Mrs. Bartlett.
In the Midst of AlarmsRobert Barr
I was but a fortnight in the hospital, the disease being only the fever and ague.
Ned MyersJames Fenimore Cooper
Fortunately for me, there were two cases of fever and ague in the ship.
Ned MyersJames Fenimore Cooper
Clearly his fears had been realised, and he had had an attack of the Persian ague.
Micah ClarkeArthur Conan Doyle
He opened his eyes to find the lad shivering as with an ague.
The Tavern KnightRafael Sabatini
ague
- a fever with successive stages of fever and chills esp when caused by malaria
- a fit of shivering
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Word Origin
C14: from Old French (fievre) ague acute fever; see acute
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for ague
n.
"malarial fever," c.1300, from Old French ague "an acute fever," from Medieval Latin (febris) acuta "sharp (fever)," fem. of acutus "sharp" (see acute).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
ague
(ā′gyōō)- A febrile condition, especially associated with malaria, characterized by alternating periods of chills, fever, and sweating.
- A chill or fit of shivering.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.