vex

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WOTD – 13 July 2006    
See also VEX

Contents

English [edit]

Etymology [edit]

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 [edit]

Verb [edit]

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.
  5. (intransitive, obsolete) To be irritated; to fret.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Chapman to this entry?)

Quotations [edit]

Synonyms [edit]

Derived terms [edit]

Derived terms

Translations [edit]

to annoy
to distress; to cause mental suffering
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