plague

(noun) a serious (sometimes fatal) infection of rodents caused by Yersinia pestis and accidentally transmitted to humans by the bite of a flea that has bitten an infected animal. Synonyms: pestilence, pest, pestis.

(noun) any epidemic disease with a high death rate. Synonyms: pestilence, pest.

(noun) a swarm of insects that attack plants. Synonyms: infestation. Example: "A plague of grasshoppers."

(noun) any large scale calamity (especially when thought to be sent by God).

(noun) an annoyance. Example: "Those children are a damn plague."

(verb) cause to suffer a blight. Synonyms: blight. Example: "Too much rain may blight the garden with mold."

(verb) annoy continually or chronically. Synonyms: harass, hassle, harry, chivy, chivvy, chevy, chevvy, beset, molest, provoke. Examples: "He is known to harry his staff when he is overworked." "This man harasses his female co-workers."