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vex

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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See also: VEX

English

Etymology

From Middle English vexen, from Old French vexer, from Latin vexāre (disturb, agitate, annoy). Doublet of quake. Displaced native Old English dreċċan and gremman.

Pronunciation

Verb

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

  1. (transitive) To annoy, irritate.
    Synonyms: agitate, irk, irritate; see also Thesaurus:annoy
    Billy's professor was vexed by his continued failure to improve his grades.
    • 1980, AA book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 164:
      The first thing that greets you on entering the church is a notice asking you not to vex the goat, since it renders valuable service in keeping the churchyard tidy.
  2. (transitive) To cause (mental) suffering to; to distress.
    Synonyms: afflict, grame, torment; see also Thesaurus:vex
  3. (transitive, now rare) To trouble aggressively, to harass.
    Synonyms: beset, hassle; see also Thesaurus:pester
  4. (transitive, rare) To twist, to weave.
  5. (intransitive, obsolete) To be irritated; to fret.
    Synonyms: chafe, fume
    • 1613, George Chapman, The Revenge of Bussy D'Ambois:
      Wake when thou would'st wake, fear nought, vex for nought
  6. (transitive) To toss back and forth; to agitate; to disquiet.

Quotations

Derived terms

Descendants

  • Welsh: becso

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Noun

vex (plural vexes)

  1. (Scotland, obsolete) A trouble.

References

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Middle English

Etymology 1

Noun

vex

  1. alternative form of wax (wax)

Etymology 2

Verb

vex

  1. alternative form of vexen

Old Norse

Verb

vex

  1. first/second/third-person singular present active indicative of vaxa

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