pester

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: pes=ter

CIDE DICTIONARY

pester, v. t. [Abbrev. fr. impester, fr. OF. empaistrier, empestrer, to entangle the feet or legs, to embarrass, F. empêtrer; 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.].

•  To trouble; to disturb; to annoy; to harass with petty vexations.  [1913 Webster]

  "We are pestered with mice and rats."  [1913 Webster]

  "A multitude of scribblers daily pester the world."  [1913 Webster]
•  To crowd together in an annoying way; to overcrowd; to infest.  Milton.  [1913 Webster]

  "All rivers and pools . . . pestered full with fishes."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

pester, v.tr. trouble or annoy, esp. with frequent or persistent requests.

Derivative

pesterer n.

Etymology

prob. f. impester f. F empestrer encumber: infl. by PEST

THESAURUS

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

ROGET THESAURUS

pester

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.