Vex v. t. [imp. & p. p. Vexed p. pr. & vb. n. Vexing.]
1. To toss back and forth; to agitate; to disquiet.
White curl the waves, and the vexed ocean roars. --Pope.
2. To make angry or annoyed by little provocations; to irritate; to plague; to torment; to harass; to afflict; to trouble; to tease. “I will not vex your souls.”
Ten thousand torments vex my heart. --Prior.
3. To twist; to weave. [R.]
Some English wool, vexed in a Belgian loom. --Dryden.
Syn: -- See Tease.
Vex, v. i. To be irritated; to fret. [R.]
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vex
v 1: cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor
irritations; "Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really
bothers me"; "It irritates me that she never closes the
door after she leaves" [syn: annoy, rag, get to, bother,
get at, irritate, rile, nark, nettle, gravel,
chafe, devil]
2: disturb the peace of mind of; afflict with mental agitation
or distress; "I cannot sleep--my daughter's health is
worrying me" [syn: worry] [ant: reassure]
3: change the arrangement or position of [syn: agitate, disturb,
commove, shake up, stir up, raise up]
4: subject to prolonged examination, discussion, or
deliberation; "vex the subject of the death penalty"
5: be a mystery or bewildering to; "This beats me!"; "Got me--I
don't know the answer!"; "a vexing problem"; "This
question really stuck me" [syn: perplex, stick, get,
puzzle, mystify, baffle, beat, pose, bewilder,
flummox, stupefy, nonplus, gravel, amaze, dumbfound]