Quarantine

kwor′an-tēn, n. a forced abstinence from communication with the shore which ships are compelled to undergo when they are last from some port where certain infectious diseases are raging—the time originally forty days: ( coll. ) the isolation of a person, house, district, . afflicted with or recovering from contagious disease.— v.t. to prohibit from intercourse from fear of infection.— adj. Quarantin′able , admitting of, or controlled by, quarantine.— Quarantine flag , a yellow flag displayed by a ship to signify the presence on board of contagious disease. [Fr. quarantaine —L. qua drag int a , forty— quatuor , four.]