vt. 繁殖, 传播, 传送

vi. 繁殖, 蔓延

[医] 传播, 繁殖

Propagate \Prop"a*gate\, v. i.
To have young or issue; to be produced or multiplied by
generation, or by new shoots or plants; as, rabbits propagate
rapidly.

No need that thou
Should'st propagate, already infinite. --Milton.


Propagate \Prop"a*gate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Propagated}; p.
pr. & vb. n. {Propagating}.] [L. propagatus, p. p. of
propagare to propagate, akin to propages, propago, a layer of
a plant, slip, shoot. See {Pro-}, and cf. {Pact}, {Prop},
{Prune}, v. t.]
1. To cause to continue or multiply by generation, or
successive production; -- applied to animals and plants;
as, to propagate a breed of horses or sheep; to propagate
a species of fruit tree.

2. To cause to spread to extend; to impel or continue forward
in space; as, to propagate sound or light.

3. To spread from person to person; to extend the knowledge
of; to originate and spread; to carry from place to place;
to disseminate; as, to propagate a story or report; to
propagate the Christian religion.

The infection was propagated insensibly. --De Foe.

4. To multiply; to increase. [Obs.]

Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast,
Which thou wilt propagate. --Shak.

5. To generate; to produce.

Motion propagated motion, and life threw off life.
--De Quincey.

Syn: To multiply; continue; increase; spread; diffuse;
disseminate; promote.