From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Infest \In*fest"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Infested}; p. pr. & vb.
n. {Infesting}.] [L. infestare, fr. infestus disturbed,
hostile, troublesome; in in, against + the root of defendere:
cf. F. infester. See {Defend}.]
To trouble greatly by numbers or by frequency of presence; to
disturb; to annoy; to frequent and molest or harass; as,
fleas infest dogs and cats; a sea infested with pirates.
[1913 Webster]
To poison vermin that infest his plants. --Cowper.
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These, said the genius, are envy, avarice,
superstition, love, with the like cares and passions
that infest human life. --Addison.
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And the cares, that infest the day,
Shall fold their tents, like the Arabs,
And as silently steal away. --Longfellow.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Infest \In*fest"\, a. [L. infestus. See {Infest}, v. t.]
Mischievous; hurtful; harassing. [Obs.] --Spenser.
[1913 Webster]
From WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006) [wn]:
infest
v 1: invade in great numbers; "the roaches infested our kitchen"
[syn: {infest}, {overrun}]
2: occupy in large numbers or live on a host; "the Kudzu plant
infests much of the South and is spreading to the North"
[syn: {invade}, {overrun}, {infest}]
3: live on or in a host, as of parasites
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