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]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
irritating \irritating\ adj.
1. causing annoyance.
Syn: annoying, galling, chafing, nettlesome, pesky,
pestiferous, pestilent, plaguy, plaguey, teasing,
vexatious, vexing.
[WordNet 1.5 +PJC]
2. causing irritation of living tissue; -- used of physical
stimuli.
Syn: irritant, irritative.
[WordNet 1.5 +PJC]
3. causing pain or physical discomfort; as, an irritating
burr under his stocking.
Syn: painful.
[WordNet 1.5]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
irritating
adj 1: causing irritation or annoyance; "tapping an annoying rhythm
on his glass with his fork"; "aircraft noise is
particularly bothersome near the airport"; "found it
galling to have to ask permission"; "an irritating
delay"; "nettlesome paperwork"; "a pesky mosquito";
"swarms of pestering gnats"; "a plaguey newfangled
safety catch"; "a teasing and persistent thought
annoyed him"; "a vexatious child"; "it is vexing to
have to admit you are wrong" [syn: annoying, bothersome,
galling, nettlesome, pesky, pestering, pestiferous,
plaguy, plaguey, teasing, vexatious, vexing]
2: (used of physical stimuli) serving to stimulate or excite;
"an irritative agent" [syn: irritative]
3: causing physical discomfort; "bites of black flies are more
than irritating; they can be very painful" [syn: painful]
WordNet (r) 2.0
69 Moby Thesaurus words for "irritating":
acerbic, acid, acrid, aggravating, aggravative, annoying, asperous,
astringent, biting, bitter, bothering, bothersome, caustic,
chafing, contentious, cutting, disturbing, escharotic,
exasperating, exasperative, fretting, galling, grating, grinding,
harassing, harsh, importunate, importune, irking, irksome,
irritant, irritative, keen, mordant, nose-tickling, penetrating,
pesky, pestering, pestiferous, pestilent, pestilential, piercing,
piquant, plaguesome, plaguey, plaguing, poignant, provocative,
provoking, pungent, rasping, rough, scratchy, severe, sharp, sour,
stinging, teasing, tiresome, tormenting, trenchant, troublesome,
troubling, vexatious, vexing, vitriolic, wearisome, worrisome,
worrying
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
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