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Definition of irritate verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

irritate

verb
 
/ˈɪrɪteɪt/
 
/ˈɪrɪteɪt/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they irritate
 
/ˈɪrɪteɪt/
 
/ˈɪrɪteɪt/
he / she / it irritates
 
/ˈɪrɪteɪts/
 
/ˈɪrɪteɪts/
past simple irritated
 
/ˈɪrɪteɪtɪd/
 
/ˈɪrɪteɪtɪd/
past participle irritated
 
/ˈɪrɪteɪtɪd/
 
/ˈɪrɪteɪtɪd/
-ing form irritating
 
/ˈɪrɪteɪtɪŋ/
 
/ˈɪrɪteɪtɪŋ/
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  1. irritate somebody to annoy somebody, especially by something you continuously do or by something that continuously happens
    • The way she puts on that accent really irritates me.
    Extra Examples
    • That man really irritates me!
    • She was moody at times and easily irritated.
    • The noise was beginning to irritate me intensely.
    • She was irritated by his continued refusal to believe her.
    Topics Feelingsc1
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • really
    • slightly
    • easily
    See full entry
  2. irritate something to make your skin or a part of your body painful
    • Some drugs can irritate the lining of the stomach.
    Topics Health problemsc2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • really
    • slightly
    • easily
    See full entry
  3. Word Originmid 16th cent. (in the sense ‘excite, provoke’): from Latin irritat- ‘irritated’, from the verb irritare.
See irritate in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
dizzy
adjective
 
 
From the Topic
Health problems
C1
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