vexat-, vex-

Not troubled; neither disturbed nor irritated: Jim was the most unvexed person in the family when the TV would not work because he had so much to learn in preparation for his final exams the next day; therefore, he focused on that instead of thinking about the television.

1. To make another person annoyed or upset: Jimmy was vexing his sister by refusing to let her see the TV program that she wanted to watch.
2. To cause someone anxiety or distress; to agitate: The delay in the arrival of the bus was vexing Jane because it just made her late for her appointment with the dentist.
3. To confuse or to puzzle other people: The inadequate information about words in many dictionaries has vexed many users over the years.
4. In law, to harass, to disquiet, to annoy; as by repeated litigation upon the same facts: Karen's lawyer accused the mayor who had vexed his former secretary of releasing secret information to the local newspaper.
5. Etymology: from Latin vexare, "to shake, to agitate, to injure". © ALL rights are reserved.

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To be annoyed or to be bothered; to be prosecuted. In law, to be harassed; to be prosecuted; as in the maxim: Nemo debet bis vexari pro una et eadem causa, "No one should be twice prosecuted for one and the same cause."

In law, a vexed question; a question often agitated or discussed, but not determined or settled; a question or point that has been determined differently, and so left doubtful.

1. The state of being provoked to irritability or anxiety: The severe winter weather was causing vexations for the people because it was causing so many delays and accidents.
2. The fact of being mentally troubled or distressed by someone who, or something which, brings on annoyances, irritations, dissatisfactions, or disappointments: Ingrid's husband was causing her vexations because of his addiction to gambling and losing so much money which was needed for the family's living expenses.

After several unsuccessful attempts to start her car, Mildred swore in vexation and used her cell phone to call an emergency car service to come and help her get the car running again.

3. The injury or damage that is suffered as a result of the tricks performed by another person: The vexation caused by Jane’s money and other valuables being stolen by a pickpocket while she was at a train station motivated her to go to the police and to report the crime to them. © ALL rights are reserved.

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A reference to causing anxieties or irritations: Some married couples have to endure the vexatious behavior that is caused by their spouses.

The vexatious problems with Steve's computer not functioning properly were very frustrating for him because he couldn't get anything done with his web site.

© ALL rights are reserved.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.

In law, a term used in insurance statutes providing for penalties for an insurer's conduct in unjustifiably refusing to pay insurance claims: James hired a lawyer to sue the company for the vexatious delay in settling the loss he had when an unknown driver damaged his car while it was parked in an authorized place on the street.

In law, an action that is instituted maliciously and without probable cause: A vexatious proceeding is a type of malicious prosecution based on a civil procedure that exists when the party bringing the transaction is not sincere and is merely trying to annoy or to embarrass his opponent or when it is not calculated to lead to any practical result.

A vexatious proceeding is often described as frivolous and not worthy of serious consideration; so, the court may dismiss it on that ground.

Relating to that which causes annoyance or irritation: Mrs. Jones was very upset by one of her students who was behaving vexatiously and upsetting the others who were sitting in the classroom.

Something that is done with the intention of upsetting or annoying other people: Linda was very angry about her parents not letting her go to a movie with her boyfriend; so, she turned on the TV to a very loud volume and its vexatiousness made her parents even angrier than they were before.

Descriptive of being irritated and upset: It was a vexedSally who was told that she would have to work overtime since she was planning to arrange a birthday party for her son when she got home.

Relating to being annoyed or pestered; irritatingly: After being told many times by her mother to make her bed, Judy vexedly muttered in anger while she was doing it.

The state of being provoked, exasperated, or aggravated: Jane's vexedness increased from one minute to the next because she was being interrupted so often by her little brother and she wanted to concentrate on completing her homework for school.

1. Someone who teases by mocking or arousing another person's curiosity and not satisfying the situation: Timmy was a vexer who liked to torment and tease his younger brother and this disturbed their mother very much!
2. A person who harasses someone playfully or maliciously; especially, by ridicule; and so infuriates him or her until some response can be achieved: The teasing and taunting by Sally, the vexer, angered her older brother so much that he went to his bedroom and locked the door so he could watch videos on his computer until he was ready to go to bed.

To disturb, to distress, to pester, to irk, or to provoke: Ted told his wife that nothing vexicates him more than her constant criticism that he doesn't make enough money.