scurvy

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“
He knew that the scurvy was his active and powerful ally, and that the hospitals and houses of Quebec were crowded withthe sick.

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Definitions (15)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. noun A disease caused by deficiency of vitamin C, characterized by spongy and bleeding gums, bleeding under the skin, and extreme weakness.
  2. adjective Mean; contemptible.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (9)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (2)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (2)

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Examples (50)

  • That part is thanks to scurvy, which is what happens to somebody who doesn't get enough Vitamin C in their diet. —  Cracked: All Posts
  • The results showed that citrus fruits prevented scurvy, and Lind published his work in 1753 as his —  Citizendium, the Citizens' Compendium - Recent changes [en]
  • I'm going to pick lime because I'm studying history and when the scurvy was about people used to eat limes to defend themselves from it.
  • The skeletons also exhibit evidence of scurvy, a common affliction of 15th century sailors who lacked vitamin C on their long voyages, as well as signs of malnutrition and physical stress. —  Spero News
  • He knew that the scurvy was his active and powerful ally, and that the hospitals and houses of Quebec were crowded withthe sick. —  Montcalm and Wolfe
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Etymologies (3)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. From Middle English scurfy, characterized by scurf (influenced by French scorbut, scurvy), from scurf, scurf; see scurf.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (2)

  1. from Middle English scurvy, a variant of scurfy (with the usual change of f to v, as in wife, wives, etc.): see scurfy. For the fig. senses 2, 3, cf. scabby, shabby, in like uses.
  2. Formerly also scurvie, scurvey; apparently abbreviation of scurvy disease or some similar phrase; prob. confused also with scorbute, Middle Latin scorbutus: see scorbute.
 

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/ˈskərvi/
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