plaguey

English

Alternative forms

plaguy

Etymology

From plague +‎ -y.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /ˈpleɪɡi/
Audio (Southern England): (file)
Rhymes: -eɪɡi

Adjective

plaguey (comparative plaguier, superlative plaguiest)

Causing annoyance or bother; irritating.
Synonyms: annoying, irritating, troublesome
- 1691, Tho[mas] Shadwell, The Scowrers. A Comedy, […], London: […] James Knapton, […], →OCLC, Act I, page 1:
  I am plaguy qualmiſh this morning, vve drunk ſvvingingly laſt night, vvhat did vve do? tell me the Hiſtory.
- 1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter XXVI. Mr. Belford, to Robert Lovelace, Esq.”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume VII, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by John Osborn, […], →OCLC, page 116:
  O hovv I curſed the cenſoriouſneſs of this plaguy triumvirate! A parſon, a milliner, and a mantua-maker! The tvvo latter, not more by buſineſs led to adorn the perſon, than generally by ſcandal to deſtroy the reputations of thoſe they have a mind to exerciſe their talents upon!
- 1828, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, volume I, London: William Harrison Ainsworth, page 185:
  Pleasant it were in Botnahill to dwell.
  Were it not for the sound of that plaguy bell.
- [1832], L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], “The Knife”, in Heath’s Book of Beauty. M.DCCC.XXXIII. […], London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green, and Longman, […] [for Charles Heath], →OCLC, page 119:
  "None so deaf as those who won't hear. Now this plaguy old woman will keep me bawling for an hour; it's always so when I'm in a hurry."
- 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, chapter XVIII, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:
  He got so frightened about his plaguy soul, that he shrinked and sheered away from whales, for fear of after-claps, in case he got stove and went to Davy Jones.
- 1950, C[live] S[taples] Lewis, chapter 10, in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe […], London: Geoffrey Bles, →OCLC:
  “If you hadn’t all been in such a plaguey fuss when we were starting, I’d have brought some pillows,” said Mrs. Beaver.

Derived terms