fever

A body temperature higher than normal, usually because you are ill.

• The baby has a fever.
• Her fever went down during the night.
• Have you checked his temperature for a fever?

Similar words: high temperature

Common phrases: have a fever, high fever, reduce a fever

An illness that causes a high body temperature, often used as part of its name.

• He caught scarlet fever at school.
• Mosquitoes can spread yellow fever.
• Several cases of dengue fever were reported this week.

Common phrases: scarlet fever, yellow fever, dengue fever

To make someone ill with a high body temperature.

• The illness fevered his body.
• Infection had fevered her blood for days.
• The disease fevered him, leaving his skin hot and dry.

Common phrases: fever the blood, fever the body