irritate
    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, vex,
         chafe, devil]
    2: excite to an abnormal condition, or chafe or inflame;
       "Aspirin irritates my stomach" [ant: soothe]
    3: excite to some characteristic action or condition, such as
       motion, contraction, or nervous impulse, by the application
       of a stimulus; "irritate the glands of a leaf"

Irritate \Ir"ri*tate\, a.
   Excited; heightened. [Obs.]
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Irritate \Ir"ri*tate\, v. t. [See 1 st Irritant.]
   To render null and void. [R.] --Abp. Bramhall.
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Irritate \Ir"ri*tate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Irritated; p. pr. &
   vb. n. Irritating.] [L. irritatus, p. p. of irritare. Of
   doubtful origin.]
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   1. To increase the action or violence of; to heighten
      excitement in; to intensify; to stimulate.
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            Cold maketh the spirits vigorous and irritateth
            them.                                 --Bacon.
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   2. To excite anger or displeasure in; to provoke; to tease;
      to exasperate; to annoy; to vex; as, the insolence of a
      tyrant irritates his subjects.
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            Dismiss the man, nor irritate the god:
            Prevent the rage of him who reigns above. --Pope.
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   3. (Physiol.) To produce irritation in; to stimulate; to
      cause to contract. See Irritation, n., 2.
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   4. (Med.) To make morbidly excitable, or oversensitive; to
      fret; as, the skin is irritated by friction; to irritate a
      wound by a coarse bandage.

   Syn: To fret; inflame; excite; provoke; tease; vex;
        exasperate; anger; incense; enrage.

   Usage: To Irritate, Provoke, Exasperate. These words
          express different stages of excited or angry feeling.
          Irritate denotes an excitement of quick and slightly
          angry feeling which is only momentary; as, irritated
          by a hasty remark. To provoke implies the awakening of
          some open expression of decided anger; as, a provoking
          insult. Exasperate denotes a provoking of anger at
          something unendurable. Whatever comes across our
          feelings irritates; whatever excites anger provokes;
          whatever raises anger to a high point exasperates.
          "Susceptible and nervous people are most easily
          irritated; proud people are quickly provoked; hot and
          fiery people are soonest exasperated." --Crabb.
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