Pester \Pes"ter\ (p[e^]s"t[~e]r), v. t. [imp. & p. p.
Pestered; p. pr. & vb. n. Pestering.] [Abbrev. fr.
impester, fr. OF. empaistrier, empestrer, to entangle the
feet or legs, to embarrass, F. emp[^e]trer; pref. em-, en-
(L. in in) + LL. pastorium, pastoria, a fetter by which
horses are prevented from wandering in the pastures, fr. L.
pastorius belonging to a herdsman or shepherd, pastor a
herdsman. See In, and Pasture, Pastor.]
1. To trouble; to disturb; to annoy; to harass with petty
vexations.
[1913 Webster]
We are pestered with mice and rats. --Dr. H. More.
[1913 Webster]
A multitude of scribblers daily pester the world.
--Dryden.
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2. To crowd together in an annoying way; to overcrowd; to
infest. [Obs.] --Milton.
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All rivers and pools . . . pestered full with
fishes. --Holland.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
pester
v : annoy persistently; "The children teased the boy because of
his stammer" [syn: tease, badger, bug, beleaguer]
WordNet (r) 2.0
94 Moby Thesaurus words for "pester":
aggravate, annoy, apply pressure, badger, bait, be at, bedevil,
beleaguer, beset, besetment, besiege, blandish, bother,
botheration, bristle, brown off, bug, bullyrag, burn up,
buttonhole, cajole, carp at, chafe, chivy, coax, devil, discompose,
distemper, disturb, dog, dun, exasperate, exasperation, exercise,
exert pressure, fash, fret, fret at, fuss at, get, get at, get to,
gripe, harass, harry, hassle, heckle, hector, henpeck, hound,
importune, irk, irritant, irritate, miff, molest, nag, nag at,
needle, nettle, nibble at, niggle, nudzh, nuisance, peck at, peeve,
persecute, pest, pick at, pick on, pique, plague, pluck the beard,
ply, pother, press, pressure, provoke, push, ride, rile, roil,
ruffle, tantalize, tease, torment, try the patience,
tweak the nose, urge, vex, wheedle, work on, worry, yap at
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
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