molest

English

English Wikipedia has an article on:

molest

Etymology

From Middle English molesten, from Old French molester, from Latin molestō (“to trouble, annoy, molest”), from molestus (“troublesome”), from moles (“a burden, difficulty, labor, trouble”); see mole.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /məˈlɛst/
- Audio (Southern England): (file)
Rhymes: -ɛst

Verb

molest (third-person singular simple present molests, present participle molesting, simple past and past participle molested)

To sexually assault or sexually harass.
Synonyms: come on to, diddle, touch
- 1976 June 7, Nik Cohn, “Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night”, in New York‎^[1], →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 29 December 2022:
  At last he simmered down, choked out his explanations. And the news was indeed enormous. That afternoon, just three hours earlier, his younger sister, Gina, had been molested, debauched, as she crossed a children's playground in the park.
(dated) To annoy, trouble, or afflict.
Synonyms: bother, disturb; see also Thesaurus:annoy
- 1594–1597, Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Will[iam] Stansby [for Matthew Lownes], published 1611, →OCLC, (please specify the page):
  They have molested the church with needless opposition.
- 1976 June 7, Nik Cohn, “Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night”, in New York‎^[2], →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 29 December 2022:
  It was a true sanctuary. Once inside, the Faces were unreachable. Nothing could molest them. They were no longer the oppressed, wretched teen menials who must take orders, toe the line. Here they took command, they reigned.
- 2020, Chief Executive in Council, “Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Group Gathering) Regulation”, in Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Gazette‎^[3], Section 13(1), page B555:
  A person must not delay, obstruct, hinder or molest an authorized officer who is performing a function under this Regulation.
(dated) To disturb or tamper with.
Synonyms: dabble in, interfere with, meddle with