infest

[[t]ɪnfe̱st[/t]]

infests, infesting, infested

1) VERB When creatures such as insects or rats infest plants or a place, they are present in large numbers and cause damage.

[V n] ...pests like aphids which infest cereal crops.

Derived words:

infested ADJ oft ADJ with n

The prison is infested with rats...

In less than seven days the infested plants had recovered.

-infested COMB in ADJ

...the rat-infested slums where the plague flourished.

infestation [[t]ɪ̱nfeste͟ɪʃ(ə)n[/t]] plural N-VAR oft n N, N of n

The premises were treated for cockroach infestation...

Parts of California are suffering from an infestation of oriental fruit flies.

2) VERB (disapproval) If you say that people or things you disapprove of or regard as dangerous are infesting a place, you mean that there are large numbers of them in that place.

[V n] Crime and drugs are infesting the inner cities.

Syn:

overrun

Derived words:

infested ADJ

The road further south was infested with bandits.

-infested COMB in ADJ

...the shark-infested waters of the Great Barrier Reef.