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murrain

noun
/ˈmʌɹ(ɪ)n/UK/ˈmʌɹən/US

Etymology

The noun is derived from Late Middle English morein, morine, moreyn (“(widespread) death; widespread sickness, plague; fatal disease; carnage; carrion”), from Anglo-Norman morine, mourine, moreyn (“death; widespread sickness, plague; carrion; cattle disease”), Middle French morine, and Old French morine, mourine, murine (“widespread sickness, plague; animal which has died from a disease”), from Late Latin morina (“plague”), probably from Latin morior (“to die; to decay, wither”). The adjective and adverb are derived from the noun. Cognates * Italian morìa (“plague”) * Latin morticīnus (“that has died naturally, dead; (relational) carrion”) (Medieval Latin morticinium) * Occitan moria (“death; plague”) * Old French morie (“death”) mourie (“flesh of animals that have died of disease”) (Middle French murie) * Portuguese morrinha (“cattle plague”) * Spanish morriña (“cattle plague”)

  1. derived from morior — “to die; to decay, wither”
  2. derived from morina — “plague”
  3. derived from morine
  4. derived from morine
  5. derived from morine
  6. inherited from morein

Definitions

  1. Infectious disease

    Infectious disease; pestilence, plague; (countable) sometimes used in curses such as a murrain on someone: an outbreak of such a disease; a plague.

    • How a murryen came this chaunce, (ſay Tib) vnto our dame?
    • For heuen it ſelfe ſhall their ſucceſſe enuy, / And them vvith plagues and murrins peſtilent / Conſume, till all their vvarlike puiſſaunce be ſpent.
    • Rafe. […] [T]his ſhooe I durſt be ſworne / Once couered the inſtep of my Jane: / […] / By this old ſhooe I shall find out my wife. / Firke. Ha ha olde ſhoo, that wert new, how a murren came this ague fit of fooliſhnes upon thee?

  2. A widespread affliction, calamity, or destructive influx, especially when seen as divine…

    A widespread affliction, calamity, or destructive influx, especially when seen as divine retribution; a plague.

    • Usura [a personification of usury] is a murrain, usura / blunteth the needle in the maid’s hand / and stoppeth the spinner’s cunning.

  3. Any of several highly infectious diseases of cattle or other livestock, such as anthrax,…

    Any of several highly infectious diseases of cattle or other livestock, such as anthrax, babesiosis, or rinderpest; or a particular epizootic thereof; also, an infectious disease affecting other animals, such as poultry.

    • water murrain
    • Il'e ſtrike thee [Earth] vvith a laſting barrenneſſe. / No more ſhall plenty crovvne thy fertill brovves, / Il'e breake thy plovves, thy Oxen murren-ſtrike: […]
  4. ›+ 6 more definitions

    1. An infectious disease affecting plants.

      • potato murrain
      • [H]e had reason to think that a murrain had fallen over the whole of the potato crops in England, and that, if it extended to Ireland, the most serious consequences must ensue.

    2. A poor-quality green-salted animal hide.

    3. Death, especially from an infectious disease.

      • Moreyn dethe mortalité […] mourine […]

    4. Rotting flesh, especially of an animal which has died from a disease

      Rotting flesh, especially of an animal which has died from a disease; carrion.

      • The fold ſtands empty, in the drovvned fiend, / And crovves are fatted vvith the murrion flocke.
      • [I]f our freſh vvits cannot turne the plots / Of ſuch a mouldy murrion on it ſelfe; / Rich cloathes, choyſe fare, and a true friend at a call, / VVith all the pleaſures the night yeelds, forſake vs.

    5. Disgusting or offensive, as if having an infectious disease

      Disgusting or offensive, as if having an infectious disease; contemptible, despicable, loathsome, plaguey.

      • No, ich know thars not within this land / A muryner Cat than Gyb is, betwixt the tems [Thames] and Tyne, […]
      • [T]hou foule and murren lyer, / I cannot novv forbeare thee any longer, […]

    6. Used as an intensifier

      Used as an intensifier: to a great extent; extreme, intense.

      • But my Lady vvas in ſuch murrain haſte to be here, that ſet out ſhe vvould, thof' I tould her, it vvas Childermas Day.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for murrain. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA