Word of The Day, March 25

Word of the Day for Friday March 25, 2005

pestiferous \pes-TIF-uh-ruhs\, adjective:
1. Bearing or bringing disease.
2. Infected with or contaminated by a pestilential disease.
3. Morally evil or dangerous to society; pernicious.
4. Bothersome; troublesome; annoying.

Equatorial climate and pestiferous conditions made
Guayaquil such an unattractive port in the past that it was
not until well into the twentieth century, when sanitary
conditions were established, that it became a modern city
handling extensive commerce with the rest of the world.
--Thomas E. Weil, Countries of the World

What is the most correct, the politest, the best
Way to get rid of this pestiferous unwanted 'guest'?
--James Michie, "Dear Mary," [1]The Spectator, September 28, 1996
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