QUARANTINING

Verb

quarantining

present participle of quarantine

Source: Wiktionary


QUARANTINE

Quar"an*tine, n. Etym: [F. quarantaine, OF. quaranteine, fr. F. quarante forty, L. quadraginta, akin to quattuor four, and E. four: cf. It. quarantina, quarentine. See Four, and cf. Quadragesima.]

1. A space of forty days; -- used of Lent.

2. Specifically, the term, originally of forty days, during which a ship arriving in port, and suspected of being infected a malignant contagious disease, is obliged to forbear all intercourse with the shore; hence, such restraint or inhibition of intercourse; also, the place where infected or prohibited vessels are stationed.

Note: Quarantine is now applied also to any forced stoppage of travel or communication on account of malignant contagious disease, on land as well as by sea.

3. (Eng. Law)

Definition: The period of forty days during which the widow had the privilege of remaining in the mansion house of which her husband died seized. Quarantine flag, a yellow flag hoisted at the fore of a vessel or hung from a building, to give warning of an infectious disease; -- called also the yellow jack, and yellow flag.

Quar`an*tine", v. t. [imp. & p. p. Quarantined; p. pr. & vb. n. Quarantining.]

Definition: To compel to remain at a distance, or in a given place, without intercourse, when suspected of having contagious disease; to put under, or in, quarantine.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

16 May 2025

AMPHIPROSTYLAR

(adjective) marked by columniation having free columns in porticoes either at both ends or at both sides of a structure


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Coffee Trivia

Coffee dates back to the 9th century. Goat herders in Ethiopia noticed their goats seem to be “dancing” after eating berries from a particular shrub. They reported it to the local monastery, and a monk made a drink out of it. The monk found out he felt energized and kept him awake at night. That’s how the first coffee drink was born.

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