Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1300-1400
Origin: pocks, plural of pock 'mark on the skin', from Old English pocc

pox

 noun
     
pox old use
1

the pox

a) the disease syphilis
b) the disease smallpox
2

a pox on somebody

used to show that you were angry or annoyed with someone
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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