A″gue (�), n. [OE. agu, ague, OF. agu, F. aigu, sharp, OF. fem. ague, LL. (febris) acuta, a sharp, acute fever, fr. L. acutus sharp. See Acute.] 1. An acute fever. “Brenning agues.” P. Plowman.
2. (Med.) An intermittent fever, attended by alternate cold and hot fits.
3. The cold fit or rigor of the intermittent fever; as, fever and ague.
4. A chill, or state of shaking, as with cold. Dryden.
Ague cake, an enlargement of the spleen produced by ague. — Ague drop, a solution of the arsenite of potassa used for ague. — Ague fit, a fit of the ague. Shak. — Ague spell, a spell or charm against ague. Gay. — Ague tree, the sassafras, — sometimes so called from the use of its root formerly, in cases of ague.