aggravate

views updated Jun 27 2018

ag·gra·vate / ˈagrəˌvāt/ • v. [tr.] 1. make (a problem, injury, or offense) worse or more serious: military action would only aggravate the situation.2. inf. annoy or exasperate (someone), esp. persistently.DERIVATIVES: ag·gra·vat·ing·ly adv.

The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English

aggravate

views updated May 18 2018

aggravate †burden; add weight or gravity to XVI; incense, provoke XVII. f. pp. stem of L. aggravāre, f. AG- + gravis heavy, GRAVE3; prob. through F. aggraver; see -ATE3.
So aggravation XV. — F. — medL.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology T. F. HOAD

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