vexation
Meanings
- The action of vexing, annoying, or irritating someone or something; (countable) an instance of this.
- The action of physically annoying or irritating a person or an animal; (countable) an instance of this; also, a physical discomfort or disorder.
- The action of vexing or annoying someone by bringing unjustified legal proceedings against them; (countable) an instance of this.
- The state of being vexed, annoyed, or irritated; annoyance, irritation; also, disappointment, discontentment, unhappiness; (countable) an instance of this.
- The state of being mentally distressed or troubled.
- The state of being physically annoyed or irritated.
- A source of mental distress or trouble; an affliction, a woe; also, a source of annoyance or irritation; an annoyance, an irritant.
- The action of using force or violence on someone or something; (countable) an instance of this.
Pronunciation
Word forms
Etymology
From Late Middle English vexacioun, vexation (“physical suffering; act of inflicting trouble (specifically through unjustified legal action); anxiety, mental distress; mental disturbance”), from Anglo-Norman vexacion, vexation, Middle French vexacion, vexation (“distress, suffering; harassment (specifically through unjustified legal action)”), and Old French vexacion, vexation (“distress, suffering; harassment”) (modern French vexation), and from their etymon Latin vexātiō (“shaking or similar violent movement; (causing of) agitation, distress, suffering; harassment, persecution; trouble”), from vexātus + -iō (suffix forming abstract nouns from verbs). Vexātus is the perfect passive participle of vexō (“to shake or jolt violently; to annoy, harass; to persecute; to trouble violently”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weǵʰ-. By surface analysis, vex + -ation (suffix denoting an action or process or its result, or a quality or state). Doublet of quake.