different between vex vs scourge

English

Etymology

From Middle English vexen, from Old French vexer, from Latin v?x?re (“disturb, agitate, annoy”). Displaced native Middle English grillen (“to vex, annoy”) from Old English grillan. Doublet of quake.

Pronunciation

• enPR: v?ks, IPA^(key): /v?ks/
• Rhymes: -?ks

Verb

vex (third-person singular simple present vexes, present participle vexing, simple past and past participle vexed or (archaic) vext)

1. (transitive, now rare) To trouble aggressively, to harass.
2. (transitive) To annoy, irritate.

3. (transitive) To cause (mental) suffering to; to distress.
4. (transitive, rare) To twist, to weave.

   • some English wool, vexed in a Belgian loom

5. (intransitive, obsolete) To be irritated; to fret.
   • 1613, George Chapman, The Revenge of Bussy D'Ambois

     Wake when thou would'st wake, fear nought, vex for nought

6. (transitive) To toss back and forth; to agitate; to disquiet.

Quotations

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:vex.

Synonyms

• (to annoy): agitate, irk, irritate
• (to cause mental suffering): afflict, grame, torment

Derived terms

Related terms

• quake
• vexatious

Translations

Noun

vex (plural vexes)

1. (Scotland, obsolete) A trouble.

References

• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “vex”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

Middle English

Etymology 1

Noun

vex

1. Alternative form of wax (“wax”)

Etymology 2

Verb

vex

1. Alternative form of vexen

English

Etymology

From Old French escorgier (“to whip”), from Vulgar Latin excorrigiare, consisting of ex- (“thoroughly”) + corrigia (“thong, whip”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /sk??d?/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /sk?d?/
  • (US, also) IPA^(key): /sk??d?/

• Rhymes: -??(?)d?

Noun

scourge (plural scourges)

1. A source of persistent trouble such as pestilence that causes pain and suffering or widespread destruction.

2. A means to inflict such pain or destruction.
3. A whip, often of leather.

Translations

Verb

scourge (third-person singular simple present scourges, present participle scourging, simple past and past participle scourged)

1. To strike with a scourge; to flog.

Synonyms

• (to whip or scourge): Thesaurus:whip

Translations

See also

• Scourge in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)
• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “scourge”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

Anagrams

• scrouge