annoy

• POS: Verb (usu participle)
• HYPHEN: an=noy

CIDE DICTIONARY

annoy, v. t. [OE. anoien, anuien, OF. anoier, anuier, F. ennuyer, fr. OF. anoi, anui, enui, annoyance, vexation, F. ennui. See Annoy, n.].

•  To disturb or irritate, especially by continued or repeated acts; to tease; to ruffle in mind; to vex; as, I was annoyed by his remarks.  [1913 Webster]

  "Say, what can more our tortured souls annoy
  Than to behold, admire, and lose our joy?"  [1913 Webster]
•  To molest, incommode, or harm; as, to annoy an army by impeding its march, or by a cannonade.  [1913 Webster]

Syn. -- To molest; vex; trouble; pester; embarrass; perplex; tease.

annoy, n. [OE. anoi, anui, OF. anoi, anui, enui, fr. L. in odio hatred (esse alicui in odio, Cic.). See Ennui, Odium, Noisome, Noy.].

 A feeling of discomfort or vexation caused by what one dislikes; also, whatever causes such a feeling; as, to work annoy.  [1913 Webster]
"Worse than Tantalus' is her annoy."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

annoy, v.tr.
1 cause slight anger or mental distress to.
2 (in passive) be somewhat angry (am annoyed with you; was annoyed at my remarks).
3 molest; harass repeatedly.

Derivative

annoyance n. annoyer n.

Etymology

ME f. OF anuier, anui, anoi, etc., ult. f. L in odio hateful

THESAURUS

annoy

abrade, agent provocateur, aggravate, agitate, amplify, arouse, augment, awake, awaken, badger, bait, be at, bedevil, beleaguer, beset, blow the coals, blow up, bother, bristle, brown off, bug, build up, bullyrag, burn up, call forth, call up, chafe, chivy, deepen, deteriorate, devil, discompose, distemper, distress, disturb, dog, embitter, enhance, enkindle, enlarge, enrage, exacerbate, exasperate, excite, exercise, fan, fan the fire, fan the flame, fash, feed the fire, fire, flame, foment, frenzy, fret, gall, get, get at, gnaw, gripe, harass, harry, hassle, heat, heat up, heckle, hector, heighten, hot up, hound, huff, impassion, incense, incite, increase, inflame, infuriate, intensify, irk, irritate, key up, kindle, lather up, light the fuse, light up, madden, magnify, make acute, make worse, miff, molest, move, nag, needle, nettle, nudzh, overexcite, peeve, persecute, perturb, pester, pick on, pique, plague, pluck the beard, pother, provoke, rankle, ride, rile, roil, rouse, rub, ruffle, set astir, set fire to, set on fire, set up, sharpen, sour, steam up, stir, stir the blood, stir the embers, stir the feelings, stir up, summon up, tease, torment, trouble, try the patience, turn on, tweak the nose, upset, vex, wake, wake up, waken, warm, warm the blood, whip up, work into, work up, worry, worsen

ROGET THESAURUS

annoy

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.

Violence

VB be violent, run high, ferment, effervesce, romp, rampage, go on a rampage, run wild, run amuck, run riot, break the peace, rush, tear, rush headlong, rush foremost, raise a storm, make a riot, rough house, riot, storm, wreak, bear down, ride roughshod, out Herod, Herod, spread like wildfire (person), explode, make a row, kick up a row, boil, boil over, fume, foam, come on like a lion, bluster, rage, roar, fly off the handle, go bananas, go ape, blow one's top, blow one's cool, flip one's lid, hit the ceiling, hit the roof, fly into a rage (anger), break out, fly out, burst out, bounce, explode, go off, displode, fly, detonate, thunder, blow up, crump, flash, flare, burst, shock, strain, break open, force open, prize open, render violent, sharpen, stir up, quicken, excite, incite, annoy, urge, lash, stimulate, turn on, irritate, inflame, kindle, suscitate, foment, accelerate, aggravate, exasperate, exacerbate, convulse, infuriate, madden, lash into fury, fan the flame, add fuel to the flame, pour oil on the fire, oleum addere camino, explode, let fly, fly off, discharge, detonate, set off, detonize, fulminate.

Malevolence

VB be malevolent, bear spleen, harbor spleen, bear a grudge, harbor a grudge, bear malice, betray the cloven foot, show the cloven foot, hurt, annoy, injure, harm, wrong, do harm to, do an ill office to, outrage, disoblige, malign, plant a thorn in the breast, molest, worry, harass, haunt, harry, bait, tease, throw stones at, play the devil with, hunt down, dragoon, hound, persecute, oppress, grind, maltreat, illtreat, ill-use, wreak one's malice on, do one's worst, break a butterfly on the wheel, dip one's hands in blood, imbrue one's hands in blood, have no mercy.