ague: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low frequency, primarily historical/literary.Literary, historical, medical (archaic).
Quick answer
What does “ague” mean?
A febrile illness characterized by intermittent chills, shivering, and sweating, historically associated with malaria.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A febrile illness characterized by intermittent chills, shivering, and sweating, historically associated with malaria.
Can figuratively refer to a severe chill or a state of trembling, as if from fever or fear.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally archaic in both. More likely to be encountered in historical British colonial texts (e.g., from India, Africa) than in American ones.
Connotations
Evokes a pre-modern, often colonial, medical context.
Frequency
Extremely rare in contemporary speech or writing in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “ague” in a Sentence
suffer from + aguebe stricken with + aguea bout of + agueVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “ague” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- The explorer was laid low by a persistent ague in the swamps.
- Victorian medicine often prescribed quinine for the ague.
American English
- In the historical novel, the settler's ague returned with every full moon.
- The diary described the ague as 'a dreadful shaking fit'.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used only in historical or literary analysis.
Everyday
Not used.
Technical
Obsolete medical term.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “ague”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “ague”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “ague”
- Mispronouncing it as /ə'ɡjuː/ or /'æɡ.juː/.
- Using it to refer to a common cold or modern flu.
- Confusing it with 'argue' or 'vague' in spelling.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an archaic term. Modern doctors use specific terms like 'malaria', 'septic shock', or 'fever with rigors'.
No, 'ague' is solely a noun. The associated verb would be 'to shiver' or 'to be feverish'.
It comes from Old French 'fievre aguë' (acute fever). The 'gu' represents a hard 'g' sound from French, and the final 'e' was once pronounced, leading to the modern two-syllable pronunciation.
Historically, 'ague' specified an intermittent fever with violent chills and sweating, characteristic of malaria. 'Fever' is a more general term for elevated body temperature.
A febrile illness characterized by intermittent chills, shivering, and sweating, historically associated with malaria.
Ague is usually literary, historical, medical (archaic). in register.
Ague: in British English it is pronounced /ˈeɪ.ɡjuː/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈeɪ.ɡjuː/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “No common idioms”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
"A GUEst brings chills and fever." Think of an unwelcome guest causing shivers.
Conceptual Metaphor
ILLNESS AS AN INVADER / UNCONTROLLABLE FORCE.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the most accurate modern equivalent of 'ague'?