vex

WOTD - 13 July 2006    

English

Etymology

From Middle English vexen, from Old French vexer, from Latin vēxāre (“disturb, agitate”). Replaced native Middle English grillen (“to vex, annoy”) from Old English grillan.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /vɛks/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

  Rhymes: -ɛks

Verb

vex (third-person singular simple present vexes, present participle vexing, simple past and past participle vexed)

1. (transitive, now rare) To trouble aggressively, to harass.
   • 1526, William Tyndale, trans. Bible, Acts XII:

     In that tyme Herode the kynge layed hondes on certayne of the congregacion, to vexe them.

2. (transitive) To annoy, irritate.

   Billy's professor was vexed by his continued failure to improve his grades.

3. (transitive) To cause (mental) suffering to; to distress.
4. (transitive, rare) To twist, to weave.

Quotations

• For examples of the usage of this term see the citations page.

Synonyms

• (to annoy): agitate, irritate
• (to cause mental suffering): afflict, torment

Derived terms

• vexed
• vexer
• vexingly
• vexation
• vexatious

Translations

To annoy

Finnish: ärsyttää (fi) French: ennuyer (fr), énerver (fr) German: ärgern (de) Hungarian: piszkál (hu), vegzál (hu)

Russian: раздражать (ru), досаждать (ru) Scottish Gaelic: sàraich (gd) Spanish: disgustarse (es), vejar (es)

To distress; to cause mental suffering

Finnish: kiusata (fi), vaivata (fi) French: vexer (fr), tourmenter (fr) German: beunruhigen, quälen Portuguese: tormentar

Russian: волновать (ru) Scottish Gaelic: sàraich (gd) Spanish: disgustar (es)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

Translations to be checked

French: vexer, frustrer German: beleidigen

Portuguese: irritar, aborrecer