chafe

Noun · Verb

WordNet 3.0

Noun (2)

  1. soreness and warmth caused by friction“he had a nasty chafe on his knee”
  2. anger produced by some annoying irritationSynonyms: annoyancevexation

Verb (6)

  1. become or make sore by or as if by rubbingSynonyms: gallfret
  2. feel extreme irritation or anger“He was chafing at her suggestion that he stay at home while she went on a vacation”
  3. cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations“Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me”“It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves”Synonyms: annoyragget tobotherget atirritaterilenarknettlegravelvexdevil
  4. tear or wear off the skin or make sore by abrading“This leash chafes the dog's neck”Synonyms: excoriate
  5. cause friction“my sweater scratches”Synonyms: rubfrayfretscratch
  6. warm by rubbing, as with the hands
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Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Chafe \Chafe\, v. i. To rub; to come together so as to wear by rubbing; to wear by friction. [1913 Webster]

Made its great boughs chafe together. --Longfellow. [1913 Webster]

The troubled Tiber chafing with her shores. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

2.To be worn by rubbing; as, a cable chafes. [1913 Webster]

3.To have a feeling of vexation; to be vexed; to fret; to be irritated. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]

He will chafe at the doctor's marrying my daughter.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

Chafe \Chafe\ (ch[=a]f), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Chafed (ch[=a]ft); p pr. & vb. n. Chafing.] [OE. chaufen to warm, OF. chaufer, F. chauffer, fr. L. calefacere, calfacere, to make warm; calere to be warm + facere to make. See Caldron.]

1.To excite heat in by friction; to rub in order to stimulate and make warm. [1913 Webster]

To rub her temples, and to chafe her skin.— Spenser.[1913 Webster]

2.To excite passion or anger in; to fret; to irritate. [1913 Webster]

Her intercession chafed him.— Shak.[1913 Webster]

3.To fret and wear by rubbing; as, to chafe a cable. [1913 Webster]

Two slips of parchment which she sewed round it to prevent its being chafed.— Sir W. Scott.

Syn: To rub; fret; gall; vex; excite; inflame. [1913 Webster]


Chafe \Chafe\, n.

1.Heat excited by friction. [1913 Webster]

2.Injury or wear caused by friction. [1913 Webster]

3.Vexation; irritation of mind; rage. [1913 Webster]

The cardinal in a chafe sent for him to Whitehall.— Camden.[1913 Webster]
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