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exacerbate - 4 dictionary results

ex⋅ac⋅er⋅bate

[ig-zas-er-beyt, ek-sas-]
–verb (used with object), -bat⋅ed, -bat⋅ing.
1. to increase the severity, bitterness, or violence of (disease, ill feeling, etc.); aggravate.
2. to embitter the feelings of (a person); irritate; exasperate.

Origin:
1650–60; < L exacerbātus (ptp. of exacerbāre to exasperate, provoke), equiv. to ex- ex- 1 + acerbātus acerbate


ex⋅ac⋅er⋅bat⋅ing⋅ly, adverb
ex⋅ac⋅er⋅ba⋅tion, noun


1. intensify, inflame, worsen.


1. relieve, soothe, alleviate.
ex·ac·er·bate   (ĭg-zās'ər-bāt')   
tr.v.   ex·ac·er·bat·ed, ex·ac·er·bat·ing, ex·ac·er·bates
To increase the severity, violence, or bitterness of; aggravate: a speech that exacerbated racial tensions; a heavy rainfall that exacerbated the flood problems.

[Latin exacerbāre, exacerbāt- : ex-, intensive pref.; see ex- + acerbāre, to make harsh (from acerbus, harsh; see ak- in Indo-European roots).]
ex·ac'er·ba'tion n.

Exacerbate

Ex*ac"er*bate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Exacerrated; p. pr. & vb. n. Exacerrating.] [L. exacerbatus, p. p. of exacerbare; ex out (intens.) + acerbare. See Acerbate.] To render more violent or bitter; to irriate; to exasperate; to imbitter, as passions or disease. --Broughman.

Main Entry: ex·ac·er·bate
Pronunciation: ig-'zas-&r-"bAt
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: -bat·ed;-bat·ing
: to cause (a disease or its symptoms) to become more severe exacerbated by lack of care> —ex·ac·er·ba·tion /-"zas-&r-'bA-sh&n/ noun
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