irritate

Everyday

1. To irritate someone is to annoy them or make them a bit angry, often by doing something again and again. tree →
2. To irritate part of the body, such as skin or eyes, is to make it sore, itchy or red. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life and stories, «irritate» shows mild annoyance: a buzzing fly or a humming brother. In health and safety, some soaps, plants, smoke and chemicals irritate the skin or eyes, so we wear gloves or goggles. Common phrases: «irritate the skin», «irritate the eyes», «it irritates me when…», «get irritated», «irritating habit».

Examples

• It really irritates me when people chew loudly. tree →
• My brother hummed just to irritate me. tree →
• Smoke from the bonfire irritated my eyes. tree →
• This wool jumper irritates my skin. tree →
• The teacher was irritated by the constant tapping. tree →
• Some cleaning sprays can irritate your lungs, so open a window. tree →
• Stinging nettles irritate your skin and make little bumps. tree →
• “Don’t irritate him unnecessarily,” had been Wendy’s instructions in the hold; so Tootles stepped forward politely. tree →

Note

Regular verb: irritated, irritating. «Irritated» = how you feel (I was irritated); «irritating» = what causes it (an irritating noise). Noun: «irritation». «Irritant» is a substance that irritates, a word seen on hazard labels. It is milder than «enrage» or «infuriate».

In Jewish tradition

In everyday life and stories, «irritate» shows mild annoyance: a buzzing fly or a humming brother. In health and safety, some soaps, plants, smoke and chemicals irritate the skin or eyes, so we wear gloves or goggles. Common phrases: «irritate the skin», «irritate the eyes», «it irritates me when…», «get irritated», «irritating habit».

Examples

• man's secret and method, they began to irritate liim with their words, and tinally left liim, t;iking his science with them and became builders like him. (Mordell, The Origin of Letters and Numerals according to Sefer Yetzirah (1914)) tree →

Note

Regular verb: irritated, irritating. «Irritated» = how you feel (I was irritated); «irritating» = what causes it (an irritating noise). Noun: «irritation». «Irritant» is a substance that irritates, a word seen on hazard labels. It is milder than «enrage» or «infuriate».