vex 英 [veks] 美 [veks]
SAT TEM8 GRE
外刊例句
For centuries it vexed medieval miners by looking like a valuable ore that subsequently turned into worthless—and sometimes noxious—rubble
中世纪的几百年里，它害苦了矿工——它看上去很像贵重的矿石，结果却是一钱不值的碎石块，有时还有毒。
——《经济学人》But the question that remains has vexed presidents and lawmakers from both parties for decades.
但几十年来，这个仍然存在的问题一直困扰着两党的总统和立法者。
——《纽约时报》
基本释义
[verb] make (someone) feel annoyed, frustrated, or worried, especially with trivial matters
[动词] 使（某人）感到恼火、沮丧或担忧，特别是在琐碎的事情上
深入解读
Vex 是一个与熟词 sex 以及小站年初推送过的 apex 有着相同结尾的单词。
该词源自拉丁语 vexare （猛烈地摇晃、颠簸、抛掷），15世纪初经古法语 vexer （惹恼、骚扰）进入英语后也是用来表示“使恼火、烦恼、忧虑”，常作正式用语使用，多指在琐碎的事情上使某人感到恼火、沮丧或担忧，常意味着一定程度的愤怒，但有时也意味着深深的困惑或焦虑，比如：
一想到别人在背后说我闲话，我就很恼火。于是我精心策划了一个错综复杂的方案来报复他们。
It vexed me to think of others gossiping behind my back. So I contrived an intricate plan to get back at them.
名著用例
And when I returned, sometimes a good deal tired, and not a little weather-beaten, I never dared complain, because I saw that to murmur would be to vex him: on all occasions fortitude pleased him; the reverse was a special annoyance.
我回到家里，虽然有时风吹雨淋，疲惫不堪，但从不敢抱怨，因为我明白一嘀咕就会惹他生气。无论何时，你坚忍不拔，他会为之高兴，反之，则特别恼火。
出自英国女作家夏洛蒂·勃朗特（Charlotte Brontë）创作的具有自传色彩的长篇小说《简·爱》（Jane Eyre）。
同近义词
aggravate: annoy or exasperate (someone), especially persistently
annoy: irritate (someone); make (someone) a little angry
infuriate: make (someone) extremely angry and impatient
往期回顾