irritate

  • 1Irritate — Ir ri*tate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Irritated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Irritating}.] [L. irritatus, p. p. of irritare. Of doubtful origin.] [1913 Webster] 1. To increase the action or violence of; to heighten excitement in; to intensify; to stimulate.… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2irritate — [ir′i tāt΄] vt. irritated, irritating [< L irritatus, pp. of irritare, to excite, stimulate, irritate < ir , in + IE base * erei , to excite, agitate > ROAM] 1. to excite to anger; provoke; annoy; exasperate 2. to cause (an organ or part …

    English World dictionary

  • 3irritate — [v1] upset, anger abrade, affront, aggravate, annoy, bother, bug*, burn*, chafe, confuse, distemper, disturb, drive up the wall*, enrage, exasperate, fret, gall, get, get on nerves*, get under skin*, grate, harass, incense, inflame, infuriate,… …

    New thesaurus

  • 4Irritate — Ir ri*tate, a. Excited; heightened. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 5Irritate — Ir ri*tate, v. t. [See 1 st {Irritant}.] To render null and void. [R.] Abp. Bramhall. [1913 Webster] …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 6irritate — I verb affront, aggravate, agitate, anger, annoy, badger, bother, bully, chafe, discompose, displease, disturb, enrage, exacerbate, exasperate, excite anger, excite impatience, fret, gall, give offense, grate, harass, hector, incense, inflame,… …

    Law dictionary

  • 7irritate — (v.) 1530s, stimulate to action, rouse, incite, from L. irritatus, pp. of irritare excite, provoke. An earlier verb form was irrite (mid 15c.), from O.Fr. irriter. Meaning annoy, make impatient is from 1590s. Related: Irritated; irritating …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 8irritate — irritate, exasperate, nettle, provoke, aggravate, rile, peeve are comparable when meaning to excite a feeling of angry annoyance in a person. Something which irritates greatly displeases or offends and evokes a display of feeling ranging from… …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 9irritate — ► VERB 1) make annoyed or angry. 2) cause inflammation in (a part of the body). DERIVATIVES irritating adjective irritation noun. ORIGIN Latin irritare …

    English terms dictionary

  • 10irritate — irritator, n. /ir i tayt /, v., irritated, irritating. v.t. 1. to excite to impatience or anger; annoy. 2. Physiol., Biol. to excite (a living system) to some characteristic action or function. 3. Pathol. to bring (a body part) to an abnormally… …

    Universalium