hoof-and-mouth disease
1
4.2
- noun
- /huf ənd maʊθ dɪˈziːz/
- UK
:
aftosa
- The government implemented strict measures to control hoof-and-mouth disease after several cases were reported.
Examples
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In 2001, an outbreak of hoof-and-mouth disease devastated farms across Europe.
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Think of it, gentlemen, hoof-and-mouth disease... -...a thing of the past.
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It is discovered that some of the cattle have contracted hoof-and-mouth disease.
Blog text (27) -
Farmers were required to cull their livestock to prevent the spread of hoof-and-mouth disease.
Synonyms
2
3.8
A very contagious viral disease of animals like cows or sheep that causes fever and mouth and hoof sores
How Severe
Surface Forms
Morphology
hoof-and-mouth + disease
The phrase names a disease by listing the affected body parts plus 'disease' (hoof + mouth + disease), so its meaning — a disease affecting hooves and the mouth — is directly and compositionally derivable from the constituents. This naming pattern is cross-linguistically common for illnesses, so a B1 learner who knows the words 'hoof', 'mouth' and 'disease' would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
The name hoof-and-mouth disease comes from the two places you see the sores: the animals' hooves and their mouths. Those sores spread quickly between animals, so the name refers to a disease that is 'highly contagious' and dangerous for farms.