IRRITATE

irritate

(verb) excite to an abnormal condition, or chafe or inflame; “Aspirin irritates my stomach”

irritate

(verb) excite to some characteristic action or condition, such as motion, contraction, or nervous impulse, by the application of a stimulus; “irritate the glands of a leaf”

annoy, rag, get to, bother, get at, irritate, rile, nark, nettle, gravel, vex, chafe, devil

(verb) cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations; “Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me”; “It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Verb

irritate (third-person singular simple present irritates, present participle irritating, simple past and past participle irritated)

(transitive) To provoke impatience, anger, or displeasure in.

(intransitive) To cause or induce displeasure or irritation.

(transitive) To induce pain in (all or part of a body or organism).

(transitive, obsolete, Scotland, legal) To render null and void.

Synonyms

• provoke

• rile

Antonyms

• placate

• please

• soothe

Source: Wiktionary

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Ir"ri*tate, v. t. Etym: [See 1 st Irritant.]

Definition: To render null and void. [R.] Abp. Bramhall.

Ir"ri*tate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Irritated; p. pr. & vb. n. Irritating.] Etym: [L. irritatus, p. p. of irritare. Of doubtful origin.]

1. To increase the action or violence of; to heighten excitement in; to intensify; to stimulate. Cold maketh the spirits vigorous and irritateth them. Bacon.

2. To excite anger or displeasure in; to provoke; to tease; to exasperate; to annoy; to vex; as, the insolence of a tyrant irritates his subjects. Dismiss the man, nor irritate the god: Prevent the rage of him who reigns above. Pope.

3. (Physiol.)

Definition: To produce irritation in; to stimulate; to cause to contract. See Irritation, n., 2.

4. (Med.)

Definition: To make morbidly excitable, or oversensitive; to fret; as, the skin is irritated by friction; to irritate a wound by a coarse bandage.

Syn.

– To fret; inflame; excite; provoke; tease; vex; exasperate; anger; incense; enrage.

– To Irritate, Provoke, Exasperate. These words express different stages of excited or angry feeling. Irritate denotes an excitement of quick and slightly angry feeling which is only momentary; as, irritated by a hasty remark. To provoke implies the awakening of some open expression of decided anger; as, a provoking insult. Exasperate denotes a provoking of anger at something unendurable. Whatever comes across our feelings irritates; whatever excites anger provokes; whatever raises anger to a high point exasperates. "Susceptible and nervous people are most easily irritated; proud people are quickly provoked; hot and fiery people are soonest exasperated." Crabb.

Ir"ri*tate, a.

Definition: Excited; heightened. [Obs.]

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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