vex

• POS: Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

vex, v. t. [F. vexer, L. vexare, vexatum, to vex, originally, to shake, toss, in carrying, v. intens. fr. vehere, vectum, to carry. See Vehicle.].

•  To toss back and forth; to agitate; to disquiet.  [1913 Webster]

  "White curl the waves, and the vexed ocean roars."  [1913 Webster]
•  To make angry or annoyed by little provocations; to irritate; to plague; to torment; to harass; to afflict; to trouble; to tease.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

  "Ten thousand torments vex my heart."  [1913 Webster]
•  To twist; to weave.  [1913 Webster]

  "Some English wool, vexed in a Belgian loom."  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- See Tease.

vex, v. i. 

 To be irritated; to fret.  Chapman.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

vex, v.tr.
1 anger by a slight or a petty annoyance; irritate.
2 archaic grieve, afflict.

Derivative

vexer n. vexing adj. vexingly adv.

Etymology

ME f. OF vexer f. L vexare shake, disturb

THESAURUS

vex

abrade, aggravate, ail, anger, annoy, arouse, badger, bait, be at, be the matter, bedevil, beset, bother, bristle, brown off, bug, bullyrag, burn up, chafe, chaw, chivy, complicate matters, concern, devil, discommode, discompose, distemper, distress, disturb, dog, embarrass, embitter, exasperate, exercise, fash, fret, gall, get, gripe, harass, harry, haunt, heckle, hector, hound, huff, incense, inconvenience, inflame, infuriate, irk, irritate, miff, molest, nag, needle, nettle, nudzh, peeve, perplex, persecute, perturb, pester, pick on, pique, plague, pluck the beard, pother, provoke, put out, put to it, puzzle, rankle, ride, rile, roil, ruffle, set up, stir the blood, stir up, tease, torment, trouble, try the patience, tweak the nose, work up, worry

ROGET THESAURUS

vex

Painfulness

VB cause pain, occasion pain, give pain, bring pain, induce pain, produce pain, create pain, inflict pain, pain, hurt, wound, pinch, prick, gripe, pierce, lancinate, cut, hurt the feelings, wound the feelings, grate upon the feelings, grate upon the nerves, jar upon the feelings, wring the heart, pierce the heart, lacerate the heart, break the heart, rend the heart, make the heart bleed, tear the heart strings, rend the heart strings, draw tears from the eyes, sadden, make unhappy, plunge into sorrow, grieve, fash, afflict, distress, cut up, cut to the heart, displease, annoy, incommode, discompose, trouble, disquiet, faze, feaze, feeze, disturb, cross, perplex, molest, tease, tire, irk, vex, mortify, wherret, worry, plague, bother, pester, bore, pother, harass, harry, badger, heckle, bait, beset, infest, persecute, importune, wring, harrow, torment, torture, bullyrag, put to the rack, put to the question, break on the wheel, rack, scarify, cruciate, crucify, convulse, agonize, barb the dart, plant a dagger in the breast, plant a thorn in one's side, irritate, provoke, sting, nettle, try the patience, pique, fret, rile, tweak the nose, chafe, gall, sting to the quick, wound to the quick, cut to the quick, aggrieve, affront, enchafe, enrage, ruffle, sour the temper, give offense, maltreat, bite, snap at, assail, smite, sicken, disgust, revolt, nauseate, disenchant, repel, offend, shock, stink in the nostrils, go against the stomach, turn the stomach, make one sick, set the teeth on edge, go against the grain, grate on the ear, stick in one's throat, stick in one's gizzard, rankle, gnaw, corrode, horrify, appal, appall, freeze the blood, make the flesh creep, make the hair stand on end, make the blood curdle, make the blood run cold, make one shudder, haunt the memory, weigh on the heart, prey on the heart, weigh on the mind, prey on the mind, weigh on the spirits, prey on the spirits, bring one's gray hairs with sorrow to the grave, add a nail to one's coffin.