the Great Plague
/ðə ˌɡreɪt ˈpleɪɡ/
/ðə ˌɡreɪt ˈpleɪɡ/
- the serious and widespread attack of bubonic plague (= a disease causing fever, swellings and death) in London in 1664–5, when about one fifth of the population died. The disease was spread by the fleas (= insects that feed on blood) from rats and killed over 70 000 people. Most British people know about the plague from pictures, stories and films in which bodies are collected each morning in the streets.
see also Black Death大瘟疫:在1664-5年间,伦敦的鼠疫严重而广泛地发作(一种引起发烧,肿胀和死亡的疾病),当时约有五分之一的人口死亡。该病通过老鼠的跳蚤(以血液为食的昆虫)传播,杀死了7万人。大多数英国人从图片,故事和电影中了解瘟疫,每天早晨在街头收集尸体。