quarantine

To quarantine means to keep someone or something away from others. (verb)

An example of to quarantine is to keep a sick girl away from her classmates.

Quarantine is the place where someone or something is kept separate from others in case or because of a ccontagious illness. (noun)

An example of quarantine is a dog kennel at a customs office.

See quarantine in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

1. the period, orig. 40 days, during which an arriving vessel suspected of carrying contagious disease is detained in port in strict isolation
2. the place where such a vessel is stationed
any isolation or restriction on travel or passage imposed to keep contagious diseases, insect pests, etc. from spreading
the state of being quarantined
a place where persons, animals, or plants having contagious diseases, insect pests, etc. are kept in isolation, or beyond which they may not travel
any period of seclusion, social ostracism, etc.

Related Forms:

See quarantine in American Heritage Dictionary 4

(kwôrˈən-tēnˌ, kwŏrˈ-)

noun

a. A period of time during which a vehicle, person, or material suspected of carrying a contagious disease is detained at a port of entry under enforced isolation to prevent disease from entering a country.
b. A place for such detention.
Enforced isolation or restriction of free movement imposed to prevent the spread of contagious disease.
A condition of enforced isolation.
A period of 40 days.

transitive verb quar·an·tined, quar·an·tin·ing, quar·an·tines