irritate

The definition of irritate is to aggravate or annoy, or to cause itchiness, inflammation or discomfort in or on the body.

(verb)

When you annoy someone, this is an example of a time when youirritate them.
When a sweater causes you to itch and causes your skin to become red, this is an example of when your sweaterirritates the skin.

See irritate in Webster's New World College Dictionary

to excite to anger; provoke; annoy; exasperate
to cause (an organ or part of the body) to be inflamed or sore
Physiol. to excite (an organ, muscle, etc.) to a characteristic action or function by a stimulus

Origin: < L irritatus, pp. of irritare, to excite, stimulate, irritate < ir-, in- + IE base *erei-, to excite, agitate > roam

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See irritate in American Heritage Dictionary 4

verb ir·ri·tat·ed, ir·ri·tat·ing, ir·ri·tates

verb, transitive

To rouse to impatience or anger; annoy: a loud bossy voice that irritates listeners. See Synonyms at annoy.
To chafe or inflame.
Physiology To cause physiological activity or response in (an organ or tissue), as by application of a stimulus.

verb, intransitive

To be a cause of impatience or anger.

Origin:

Origin: Latin irrītāre, irrītāt-

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