blight

blight
{{11}}blight (n.) 1610s, origin obscure; according to OED it emerged into literary speech from the talk of gardeners and farmers, perhaps ultimately from O.E. blæce, blæcðu, a scrofulous skin condition and/or from O.N. blikna "become pale." Used in a general way of agricultural diseases, sometimes with suggestion of "invisible baleful influence;" hence figurative sense of "anything which withers hopes or prospects or checks prosperity" (1828). Cf. slang BLIGHTER (Cf. blighter). Urban blight attested by 1935.
{{12}}blight (v.) "afflict with blight," 1660s (implied in blighted), from BLIGHT (Cf. blight) (n.). Figurative use by 1712. Related: Blighted; blighting.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Blight — refers to a specific symptom affecting plants in response to infection by a pathogenic organism. It is simply a rapid and complete chlorosis, browning, then death of plant tissues such as leaves, branches, twigs, or floral organs. [Agrios, George …   Wikipedia

  • blight — blight; blight·ed; blight·er; blight·ing; blight·ing·ly; un·blight·ed·ly; …   English syllables

  • Blight — (bl[imac]t), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Blighted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Blighting}.] [Perh. contr. from AS. bl[=i]cettan to glitter, fr. the same root as E. bleak. The meaning to blight comes in that case from to glitter, hence, to be white or pale, grow… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • blight — [blīt] n. [? akin to ME blichening, blight, rust (on grain) < bliknen, to lose color < ON blikja, turn pale: see BLEACH] 1. any atmospheric or soil condition, parasite, or insect that kills, withers, or checks the growth of plants 2. any of …   English World dictionary

  • Blight — Blight, v. i. To be affected by blight; to blast; as, this vine never blights. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Blight — Blight, n. 1. Mildew; decay; anything nipping or blasting; applied as a general name to various injuries or diseases of plants, causing the whole or a part to wither, whether occasioned by insects, fungi, or atmospheric influences. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • blight — blīt n Austral an inflammation of the eye in which the eyelids discharge a thick mucous substance that often seals them up for days and minute granular pustules develop inside the lid called also sandy blight …   Medical dictionary

  • blight — n blast, nip (see under BLAST vb) Analogous words: *injury, damage, hurt, harm: frustration, thwarting (see corresponding verbs at FRUSTRATE) blight vb *blast, nip Analogous words: *injure, damage, hurt, harm, s …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • blight — [n] disease; plague affliction, bane, blot on the landscape*, canker, contamination, corruption, curse, decay, dump, evil, eyesore, fungus, infestation, mildew, pest, pestilence, pollution, rot, scourge, sight, withering, woe; concepts 306,674… …   New thesaurus

  • blight — ► NOUN 1) a plant disease, especially one caused by fungi. 2) a thing that spoils or damages something. 3) ugly or neglected urban landscape. ► VERB 1) infect (plants) with blight. 2) spoil or destroy. ORIGIN …   English terms dictionary

  • blight|ed — «BLY tihd», adjective. afflicted with blight; blasted: »A blighted spring makes a barren year (Samuel Johnson). Figurative. A blighted area is a district of a city that is on the way toward becoming a slum (Emory S. Bogardus) …   Useful english dictionary

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