annoy

annoy

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Pronunciation

IPA Phonetic Spelling:

• /əˈnɔɪ/ (General American, Received Pronunciation)

• a - /ə/ (schwa, unstressed, as in "about")

• nnoy - /nɔɪ/ (as in "boy" or "toy")

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Word Form Variations

Annoy" primarily functions as a verb.

• Verb:

• Base form: annoy

• Third person singular present: annoys

• Present participle: annoying

• Past tense: annoyed

• Past participle: annoyed

• Related forms (but not direct variations of "annoy" itself):

• Adjective: annoying, annoyed

• Noun: annoyance

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Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms

Verb

1. To cause irritation, displeasure, or slight anger to (someone); to bother or vex.

• Synonyms: irritate, bother, vex, pester, irk, gall, exasperate, provoke, nettle

• Antonyms: please, delight, gratify, soothe, calm, appease, comfort

2. To disturb or trouble (something) with repeated intrusions or actions.

• Synonyms: disturb, trouble, harass, plague, torment, agitate

• Antonyms: leave alone, comfort, ease, relax

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Examples of Use

• Books:

• "The constant buzzing of the fly continued to annoy him, despite his attempts to ignore it." (George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four, 1949)

• Newspapers:

• "Commuters continue to be annoyed by the frequent delays and overcrowded public transport, despite recent infrastructure upgrades." (The Standard)

• Online Publications:

• "New browser updates often contain features that might initially annoy users who prefer familiar interfaces." (The Verge)

• Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:

• "Don't annoy the sleeping dragon, or you'll regret it!" (Dialogue from a fantasy film, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, 2012)

• "His little brother just loves to annoy him by hiding his toys." (Common storyline in children's animated shows, e.g., Peppa Pig, 2004-present)

• "That pop-up ad always seems to annoy me right when I'm getting to the good part of the article." (User comment on a news website)

• General Public Discourse:

• "Please stop tapping your foot; it's starting to annoy me."

• "It really annoys me when people don't signal before turning."

• "Flies in the house always annoy me."

• "Does it annoy you when someone chews loudly?"

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10 Quotes Using Annoy

1. "The constant buzzing of the fly continued to annoy him, despite his attempts to ignore it." (George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four, 1949)

2. "The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, but to annoy you into thinking." (Flannery O'Connor)

3. "Don't annoy the sleeping dragon." (Common fantasy trope and warning in literature and film)

4. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger; what doesn't annoy you makes you complacent." (A modern twist on a famous proverb, widely circulated)

5. "It doesn't annoy me, it just perplexes me." (A common conversational phrase expressing a mild, lingering frustration)

6. "Please do not annoy the animals." (Common sign found in zoos, aquariums, and nature parks)

7. "He loves to annoy his older sibling just to get a rise out of them." (A common trope seen in children's literature and family-focused entertainment)

8. "Small minds are easily annoyed by anything they don't understand." (A general philosophical observation, frequently expressed)

9. "The persistent tapping sound began to annoy him beyond endurance." (A common descriptive line found in narratives)

10. "To annoy is to prick, but not to pierce." (Original quote, providing a concise definition)

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Etymology

The word "annoy" describes a feeling of irritation, and its history comes from a sense of harm or trouble.

It comes from the Old French verb "anoier" or "enuier," which had meanings like "to trouble," "to harm," "to vex," or "to weary." This Old French term itself came from the Latin phrase "in odio," meaning "in hatred" or "to be an object of hatred."

So, the original idea was closer to being a nuisance or causing distress, something that might even provoke hatred, rather than just a mild irritation.

The word "annoy" entered the English language from Old French in the late 13th or early 14th century (around the 1200s to 1300s).

The first known use and meaning of "annoy" in English was very much in line with its Old French roots: "to harm," "to injure," or "to trouble" someone. Over time, particularly by the 16th century, the meaning softened from physical harm to the more common modern sense of "to irritate" or "to bother" someone, causing displeasure or slight anger.

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Phrases + Idioms Containing Annoy

• Annoy the heck out of someone (to irritate someone a great deal)

• Annoy the living daylights out of someone (to annoy someone extremely)

• What annoys me is... (used to introduce a specific grievance)

• To be annoyed by (to be irritated by something or someone)

• Beyond annoyed (extremely irritated or frustrated)

• Don't annoy trouble (original, advising not to provoke problems)

• Pester relentlessly (using a synonym for similar effect)

• Get under someone's skin (using a synonym for similar effect, meaning to annoy greatly)

• To vex one's spirit (a more literary synonym for annoying someone)

• To rub someone the wrong way (to irritate someone without intending to)

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Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA

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Source Information

Definition of annoy from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.

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