Word: murrain Part of Speech: noun Etymology: The noun is derived from Late Middle English morein, morine, moreyn (“(widespread) death; widespread sickness, plague; fatal disease; carnage; carrion”), from Anglo-Norman morine, mourine, moreyn (“death; widespread sickness, plague; carrion; cattle disease”), Middle French morine, and Old French morine, mourine, murine (“widespread sickness, plague; animal which has died from a disease”), from Late Latin morina (“plague”), probably from Latin morior (“to die; to decay, wither”). The adjective and adverb are derived from the noun. Cognates * Italian morìa (“plague”) * Latin morticīnus (“that has died naturally, dead; (relational) carrion”) (Medieval Latin morticinium) * Occitan moria (“death; plague”) * Old French morie (“death”) mourie (“flesh of animals that have died of disease”) (Middle French murie) * Portuguese morrinha (“cattle plague”) * Spanish morriña (“cattle plague”) Pronunciation: /ˈmʌɹ(ɪ)n/, /-ɹeɪn/, /ˈmʌɹən/ 1. Infectious disease; pestilence, plague; (countable) sometimes used in curses such as a murrain on someone: an outbreak of such a disease; a plague. Labels: archaic, uncountable Example: How a murryen came this chaunce, (ſay Tib) vnto our dame? Example: For heuen it ſelfe ſhall their ſucceſſe enuy, / And them vvith plagues and murrins peſtilent / Conſume, till all their vvarlike puiſſaunce be ſpent. 2. A widespread affliction, calamity, or destructive influx, especially when seen as divine retribution; a plague. Labels: archaic, countable, figuratively Example: Usura [a personification of usury] is a murrain, usura / blunteth the needle in the maid’s hand / and stoppeth the spinner’s cunning. 3. Any of several highly infectious diseases of cattle or other livestock, such as anthrax, babesiosis, or rinderpest; or a particular epizootic thereof; also, an infectious disease affecting other animals, such as poultry. Labels: countable, historical Example: water murrain Example: Il'e ſtrike thee [Earth] vvith a laſting barrenneſſe. / No more ſhall plenty crovvne thy fertill brovves, / Il'e breake thy plovves, thy Oxen murren-ſtrike: […] 4. An infectious disease affecting plants. Labels: broadly, countable Example: potato murrain Example: [H]e had reason to think that a murrain had fallen over the whole of the potato crops in England, and that, if it extended to Ireland, the most serious consequences must ensue. 5. A poor-quality green-salted animal hide. Labels: countable, obsolete Example: Green salted are those that have been salted and are thoroughly cured. […] In green-salted hides and skins, those weighing […] 14 to 25 pounds, if plump, kip, but if thin and poor are called runners or murrains, and are sold at two thirds the price of good kip; […] 6. Death, especially from an infectious disease. Labels: obsolete, uncountable Example: Moreyn dethe mortalité […] mourine […] 7. Rotting flesh, especially of an animal which has died from a disease; carrion. Labels: obsolete, uncountable Example: The fold ſtands empty, in the drovvned fiend, / And crovves are fatted vvith the murrion flocke. Example: [I]f our freſh vvits cannot turne the plots / Of ſuch a mouldy murrion on it ſelfe; / Rich cloathes, choyſe fare, and a true friend at a call, / VVith all the pleaſures the night yeelds, forſake vs.