Part 6086

<blockquote>Cold maketh the spirits vigorous and <b>irritateth</b> them. <i>Bacon.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To excite anger or displeasure in; to provoke; to tease; to exasperate; to annoy; to vex; <as>as, the insolence of a tyrant <ex>irritates</ex> his subjects</as>.</def>

<blockquote>Dismiss the man, nor <b>irritate</b> the god: Prevent the rage of him who reigns above. <i>Pope.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>3.</b> <fld>(Physiol.)</fld> <def>To produce irritation in; to stimulate; to cause to contract. See <er>Irritation</er>, <tt>n.</tt>, 2.</def>

<p><b>4.</b> <fld>(Med.)</fld> <def>To make morbidly excitable, or oversensitive; to fret; <as>as, the skin is <ex>irritated</ex> by friction; to <ex>irritate</ex> a wound by a coarse bandage.</as></def>

<syn>Syn. -- To fret; inflame; excite; provoke; tease; vex; exasperate; anger; incense; enrage.</syn> <usage> -- To <er>Irritate</er>, <er>Provoke</er>, <er>Exasperate</er>. These words express different stages of excited or angry feeling. <i>Irritate</i> denotes an excitement of quick and slightly angry feeling which is only momentary; <as>as, <ex>irritated</ex> by a hasty remark</as>. To <i>provoke</i> implies the awakening of some open expression of decided anger; <as>as, a <ex>provoking</ex> insult</as>. <i>Exasperate</i> denotes a provoking of anger at something unendurable. Whatever comes across our feelings <i>irritates</i>; whatever excites anger <i>provokes</i>; whatever raises anger to a high point <i>exasperates</i>. "Susceptible and nervous people are most easily <i>irritated</i>; proud people are quickly <i>provoked</i>; hot and fiery people are soonest <i>exasperated</i>." <i>Crabb.</i></usage>

<h1>Irritate</h1> <Xpage=790>

<hw>Ir"ri*tate</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Excited; heightened.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<h1>Irritation</h1> <Xpage=790>

<hw>Ir`ri*ta"tion</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>irritatio</ets>: cf. F. <ets>irritation</ets>.]</ety>

<p><b>1.</b> <def>The act of irritating, or exciting, or the state of being irritated; excitement; stimulation, usually of an undue and uncomfortable kind; especially, excitement of anger or passion; provocation; annoyance; anger.</def>

<blockquote>The whole body of the arts and sciences composes one vast machinery for the <b>irritation</b> and development of the human intellect. <i>De Quincey.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <fld>(Physiol.)</fld> <def>The act of exciting, or the condition of being excited to action, by stimulation; -- as, the condition of an organ of sense, when its nerve is affected by some external body; esp., the act of exciting muscle fibers to contraction, by artificial stimulation; <as>as, the <ex>irritation</ex> of a motor nerve by electricity</as>; also, the condition of a muscle and nerve, under such stimulation.</def>

<p><b>3.</b> <fld>(Med.)</fld> <def>A condition of morbid excitability or oversensitiveness of an organ or part of the body; a state in which the application of ordinary stimuli produces pain or excessive or vitiated action.</def>

<h1>Irritative</h1> <Xpage=790>

<hw>Ir"ri*ta*tive</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <p><b>1.</b> <def>Serving to excite or irritate; irritating; <as>as, an <ex>irritative</ex> agent</as>.</def>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>Accompanied with, or produced by, increased action or irritation; <as>as, an <ex>irritative</ex> fever</as>.</def>

<i>E. Darwin.</i>

<h1>Irritatory</h1> <Xpage=790>

<hw>Ir"ri*ta*to*ry</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <def>Exciting; producing irritation; irritating.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<i>Hales.</i>

<h1>Irrorate</h1> <Xpage=790>

<hw>Ir"ro*rate</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Irrorated</er> <tt>(?)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Irrorating</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[L. <ets>irroratus</ets>, p. p. of <ets>irrorare</ets> to bedew; pref. <ets>ir-</ets> in + <ets>ros</ets>, <ets>roris</ets>, dew.]</ety> <def>To sprinkle or moisten with dew; to bedew.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<h1>Irrorate</h1> <Xpage=790>

<hw>Ir"ro*rate</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <fld>(Zo\'94l.)</fld> <def>Covered with minute grains, appearing like fine sand.</def>

<h1>Irroration</h1> <Xpage=790>

<hw>Ir`ro*ra"tion</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[Cf. F. <ets>irroration</ets>.]</ety> <def>The act of bedewing; the state of being moistened with de<?/<?/.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark>

<i>Chambers.</i>