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disease

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noun British English pronunciation: disease /dɪˈziːz/ 
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singulardisease
pluraldiseases
  1. 1
    [countable/uncountable] an illness that affects people or animals, especially one that is caused by infection
    disease of:

    a disease of the nervous system

    diseases of horses/cattle/sheep

    suffer from a disease:

    Studies have revealed that fewer vegetarians suffer from heart disease.

    cause a disease:

    Smoking can cause fatal diseases.

    combat disease:

    the way that the body's immune system combats disease

    contract a disease (=to become infected with it):

    Young people are most at risk of contracting the disease.

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