'Irritate' definitions:
Definition of 'irritate'
(from WordNet)
verb
Cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations; "Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me"; "It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves" [syn: annoy, rag, get to, bother, get at, irritate, rile, nark, nettle, gravel, vex, chafe, devil]
verb
Excite to an abnormal condition, or chafe or inflame; "Aspirin irritates my stomach" [ant: soothe]
verb
Excite to some characteristic action or condition, such as motion, contraction, or nervous impulse, by the application of a stimulus; "irritate the glands of a leaf"
Definition of 'Irritate'
From: GCIDE
- Irritate \Ir"ri*tate\, v. t. [See 1 st Irritant.] To render null and void. [R.] --Abp. Bramhall. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Irritate'
From: GCIDE
- Irritate \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. [1913 Webster]
- Cold maketh the spirits vigorous and irritateth them. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]
- 2. To excite anger or displeasure in; to provoke; to tease; to exasperate; to annoy; to vex; as, the insolence of a tyrant irritates his subjects. [1913 Webster]
- Dismiss the man, nor irritate the god: Prevent the rage of him who reigns above. --Pope. [1913 Webster]
- 3. (Physiol.) To produce irritation in; to stimulate; to cause to contract. See Irritation, n., 2. [1913 Webster]
- 4. (Med.) To make morbidly excitable, or oversensitive; to fret; as, the skin is irritated by friction; to irritate a wound by a coarse bandage.
- Syn: To fret; inflame; excite; provoke; tease; vex; exasperate; anger; incense; enrage.
- Usage: To Irritate, Provoke, Exasperate. These words express different stages of excited or angry feeling. Irritate denotes an excitement of quick and slightly angry feeling which is only momentary; as, irritated by a hasty remark. To provoke implies the awakening of some open expression of decided anger; as, a provoking insult. Exasperate denotes a provoking of anger at something unendurable. Whatever comes across our feelings irritates; whatever excites anger provokes; whatever raises anger to a high point exasperates. "Susceptible and nervous people are most easily irritated; proud people are quickly provoked; hot and fiery people are soonest exasperated." --Crabb. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Irritate'
From: GCIDE
- Irritate \Ir"ri*tate\, a. Excited; heightened. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'irritate'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- abrade,
- afflict,
- affront,
- agent provocateur,
- aggravate,
- agonize,
- ail,
- alienate,
- amplify,
- anger,
- annoy,
- arouse,
- augment,
- bite,
- bother,
- bristle,
- bug,
- build up,
- burn,
- burn up,
- chafe,
- come between,
- convulse,
- crucify,
- cut,
- damage,
- deepen,
- deteriorate,
- dilapidate,
- disaffect,
- distress,
- disunite,
- divide,
- embitter,
- endamage,
- enhance,
- enlarge,
- enrage,
- estrange,
- exacerbate,
- exasperate,
- excruciate,
- exercise,
- fan the flame,
- fester,
- fluster,
- fret,
- gall,
- get,
- give pain,
- gnaw,
- grate,
- grate on,
- gravel,
- grind,
- gripe,
- grit,
- harass,
- harm,
- harrow,
- harry,
- hassle,
- heat up,
- hector,
- heighten,
- hot up,
- huff,
- hurt,
- impair,
- incense,
- increase,
- inflame,
- inflict pain,
- injure,
- intensify,
- irk,
- jangle the nerves,
- jar on,
- kill by inches,
- lacerate,
- light the fuse,
- magnify,
- make acute,
- make trouble,
- make worse,
- martyr,
- martyrize,
- miff,
- nag,
- needle,
- nettle,
- nip,
- offend,
- pain,
- peeve,
- pester,
- pick at,
- pick on,
- pierce,
- pinch,
- pique,
- pit against,
- plague,
- prick,
- prolong the agony,
- provoke,
- put back,
- put on edge,
- put out,
- put to torture,
- rack,
- rankle,
- rasp,
- rile,
- roil,
- rub,
- ruffle,
- separate,
- set against,
- set at odds,
- set at variance,
- set on,
- set on edge,
- set up,
- sharpen,
- sic on,
- sour,
- sow dissension,
- stab,
- sting,
- stir the blood,
- stir up,
- stir up trouble,
- torment,
- torture,
- trouble,
- try,
- tweak,
- twist,
- vex,
- weaken,
- work up,
- worry,
- worsen,
- wound,
- wring
Words containing 'Irritate'
- Irritability,
- Irritable,
- Irritableness,
- Irritably,
- Irritancy,
- Irritant,
- Irritated,
- Irritating,
- Irritation,
- Irritative,
- irritatingly,
- Counter irritant,
- Counter irritation,
- Pure irritant,
- chemical irritant,
- irritable bowel syndrome,
- cranky fractious irritable peevish peckish pettish petulant testy tetchy techy,
- annoying galling chafing irritating nettlesome pesky pestiferous pestilent plaguy plaguey teasing vexatious vexing