rife
adjective
- teeming, abundant
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ɹaɪf/
adj
Etymology: From Middle English rife, from Old English rīfe, rȳfe (“rife, abundant, frequent”), from Proto-West Germanic *rīb, from Proto-Germanic *rībaz (“generous”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁reyp- (“to tear (off), rip”). Cognate with West Frisian rju (“rife, much”), Dutch rijf (“abundant, copious”), Low German rive (“abundant, munificent”), Icelandic rífur (“rife, munificent”), Faroese ríviligur (“plentiful, abundant”), Faroese rívan (“abundantly”), Icelandic reifa (“to bestow”).
- Widespread, common, prevalent, current (mainly of unpleasant or harmful things).
“Smallpox was rife after the siege had been lifted.”
“Rumors were rife that the factory was about to shut down.”
- Abounding; present in large numbers, plentiful.
“Red deer are rife in these woodlands.”
“Seeds are rife in a watermelon.”
- Full of (mostly unpleasant or harmful things).
“Many post-colonial governments were rife with lawlessness and corruption.”
“They will have to reflect on a seventh successive defeat in a European final while Chelsea try to make sense of an eccentric season rife with controversy and bad feeling but once again one finishing on an exhilarating high.”
- Having power; active; nimble.
“What! I am rife a little yet.”
adv
Etymology: From Middle English rife, from Old English rīfe, rȳfe (“rife, abundant, frequent”), from Proto-West Germanic *rīb, from Proto-Germanic *rībaz (“generous”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁reyp- (“to tear (off), rip”). Cognate with West Frisian rju (“rife, much”), Dutch rijf (“abundant, copious”), Low German rive (“abundant, munificent”), Icelandic rífur (“rife, munificent”), Faroese ríviligur (“plentiful, abundant”), Faroese rívan (“abundantly”), Icelandic reifa (“to bestow”).
- Plentifully, abundantly.
“The snowdrops grow rife on the slopes of Mount Pembroke.”