germ

Converse of object

• invade: These cells start to destroy other cells, treating them like invading germs rather than part of the body.
• kill: Ash is cleaning agent which kills germs on handling.
• spread: Both these steps will stop you spreading germs onto cooked food.
• destroy: Allow to thoroughly dry - this will also help to destroy any germs left behind by the flood.
• harbor: These imperfections will harbor germs leading to a very unhygienic work surface.
• carry: People of any age can carry these germs for days, weeks or months without becoming at all unwell.

Converse of subject

• cause: Cholera is an illness caused by a germ invading the bowels.

Adjective modifier

• harmful: Garden ants tend not carry harmful germs or disease.
• nasty: I am starting a bit late due to my charming young children spreading nasty germs around the family.
• common: The hand rub we provide kills 99.9 % of common germs.

Modifies a noun

• plasm: Others are the result of cross-breeding varieties contained in Monsanto's broad germ plasm holdings.
• tumor: At that time, germ cell tumors were the cause of death in 400 males per year in Germany.
• tumor: For information on germ cell tumors of the brain see the section on brain tumors.
• cell: These are specific to the male germ cell line.
• mutation: Undertake further consideration of studies in transgenic animal models for the assessment of germ cell mutations.

Noun used with modifier

• wheat: Vitamin E was first isolated in 1936 from wheat germ oil.
• TB: The TB germ is usually spread in the air.

Preposition: of

• truth: There may be a germ of truth in the notion.
• idea: However, the germ of an idea began to grow.