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aleajactaest

08/14/03 6:50 PM

#6293 RE: greg s #6292

greg s, bullnose: note the second definition.
ex·as·per·ate (past ex·as·per·at·ed, past participle ex·as·per·at·ed, present participle ex·as·per·at·ing, 3rd person present singular ex·as·per·ates)

transitive verb

1. make angry: to make somebody very angry or frustrated, often by repeatedly doing something annoying ( usually passive )
Guests were exasperated by their hosts’ constant bickering.


2. worsen: to make an unpleasant condition or feeling worse ( literary )


[Mid-16th century. From Latin exasperat- , the past participle stem of exasperare “to irritate, roughen,” literally “to make thoroughly rough,” from asper “rough.”]


ex·as·per·at·ed·ly adverb
ex·as·per·at·ing adjective
ex·as·per·at·ing·ly adverb