vex

Object

• people: Well, perhaps unsurprisingly the issues of militant Islamists and free speech have vexed many people.
• philosopher: I think that it is a matter that has vexed philosophers down the ages.
• writer: It now becomes clear why it was this aspect of the fall which vexed the writer most.
• man: He doth not vex a man with an evil, when there is no conveniant occasion for it.
• issue: Let us now turn to the equally vexed issues of quality and standards.

Subject

claim: The Bt cotton debate in particular and the GM controversy in general have been vexed by claims and counter-claims.

Adjective complement

certain: Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church.

Modifying Another Word

• so: I was so vexed to see him stand up with her!
• much: She was very much vexed, and meant to make her apology as soon as possible.
• little: Feeling weird about the whole thing, and a little vexed.
• not: Oh, be pure and holy that thou vex not His righteous soul.
• extremely: The sailor, extremely vexed, tried in all sorts of ways to procure fire.
• n't: But I do n't vex myself o'er ' em as you do.

Used with why or when

when: He never said a bad word, and was vexed when he heard any other person do it.

Infinitive complement

• see: I was so vexed to see him stand up with her!
• find: I was vexed to find the alloy of modern refinement in a lady who had so much old family spirit.

Preposition: by

claim: The Bt cotton debate in particular and the GM controversy in general have been vexed by claims and counter-claims.