infest

[in-fest] /ɪnˈfɛst/

verb (used with object)

to live in or overrun to an unwanted degree or in a troublesome manner, especially as predatory animals or vermin do:

Sharks infested the coastline.

to be numerous in, as anything undesirable or troublesome:

the cares that infest the day.

Archaic. to harass.

Origin

1375-1425; late Middle English < Latin infestāre to assail, molest, derivative of infestus hostile

Related forms

infester, noun

reinfest, verb (used with object)

uninfested, adjective

Can be confused

infect, infest, invest.

Examples from the web for infest

And spam messages and infectious postings continue to infest social networks.
We see no end of these large-children gaffing up our society as they infest politics and other social organizations.
While many trees affected by borers have been stressed or diseased, they will also infest healthy trees.
The ability of termites to find, infest, and feed upon wood after it had been charred was evaluated in the laboratory and field.
These termites tunnel underground and can easily find untreated spots to infest homes, buildings and trees.
They do not infest pets, furniture, carpeting or toys.
Learn about invasive plants, especially those that infest your area.
As bed bugs infest more and more homes, they are finding their way into camps.
Tracheal mites live in the breathing or tracheal tubes of adult honey bees and only move outside the host to infest other bees.
They infest dead trees, speeding up the recycling of nutrients.

British Dictionary definitions for infest

infest

/ɪnˈfɛst/

verb (transitive)

to inhabit or overrun in dangerously or unpleasantly large numbers

(of parasites such as lice) to invade and live on or in (a host)

Derived Forms

infestation, noun
infester, noun

Word Origin

C15: from Latin infestāre to molest, from infestus hostile

Word Origin and History for infest

late 15c., "to attack, assail, hurt, distress, annoy," from Middle French infester, from Latin infestare "to attack, disturb, trouble," from infestus "hostile, dangerous," originally "inexorable, not able to be handled," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + -festus "(able to be) seized." Sense of "swarm over in large numbers" first recorded c.1600. Related: Infested; infesting.

infest in Medicine

infest in·fest (ĭn-fěst')
v. in·fest·ed, in·fest·ing, in·fests

To live as a parasite in or on tissues or organs or on the skin and its appendages.
To inhabit or overrun in numbers large enough to be harmful, threatening, or obnoxious.

in'fes·ta'tion n.