Exasperate

  • 1Exasperate — Ex*as per*ate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Exsasperated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Exasperating}.] 1. To irritate in a high degree; to provoke; to enrage; to excite or to inflame the anger of; as, to exasperate a person or his feelings. [1913 Webster] To… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 2Exasperate — Ex*as per*ate, a. [L. exasperatus, p. p. of exsasperare to roughen, exasperate; ex out (intens.) + asperare to make rough, asper rough. See {Asperity}.] Exasperated; imbittered. [Obs.] Shak. [1913 Webster] Like swallows which the exasperate dying …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 3exasperate — index aggravate (annoy), annoy, badger, bait (harass), discommode, discompose, disturb …

    Law dictionary

  • 4exasperate — 1530s, from L. exasperatus, pp. of exasperare roughen, irritate, provoke, from ex thoroughly (see EX (Cf. ex )) + asper rough (see ASPERITY (Cf. asperity)). Related: Exasperated; exasperating …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 5exasperate — provoke, nettle, *irritate, aggravate, rile, peeve Analogous words: vex, *annoy, irk, bother: *anger, incense, enrage, madden, infuriate Antonyms: mollify Contrasted words: *pacify, placate, appease, propitiate, conciliate …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 6exasperate — [v] upset, provoke aggravate, agitate, anger, annoy, bug*, disturb, drive up the wall*, embitter, enrage, exacerbate, excite, gall, get*, get under one’s skin*, incense, inflame, infuriate, irk, irritate, madden, make waves*, needle*, nettle,… …

    New thesaurus

  • 7exasperate — ► VERB ▪ irritate intensely. DERIVATIVES exasperated adjective exasperating adjective exasperation noun. ORIGIN Latin exasperare irritate to anger …

    English terms dictionary

  • 8exasperate — exasperate1 [eg zas′pər āt΄, igzas′pər āt΄] vt. exasperated, exasperating [< L exasperatus, pp. of exasperare < ex , out, from + asperare, to roughen < asper, rough: see ASPERITY] 1. to irritate or annoy very much; make angry; vex 2.… …

    English World dictionary

  • 9exasperate — UK [ɪɡˈzɑːspəreɪt] / US [ɪɡˈzæspəˌreɪt] verb [transitive] Word forms exasperate : present tense I/you/we/they exasperate he/she/it exasperates present participle exasperating past tense exasperated past participle exasperated to make someone feel …

    English dictionary

  • 10exasperate — I. transitive verb ( ated; ating) Etymology: Latin exasperatus, past participle of exasperare, from ex + asper rough more at asperity Date: 1534 1. a. to excite the anger of ; enrage b. to cause irritation or annoyance to …

    New Collegiate Dictionary