v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Vexed p. pr. & vb. n. Vexing. ] [ F. vexer, L. vexare, vexatum, to vex, originally, to shake, toss, in carrying, v. intens. fr. vehere, vectum, to carry. See Vehicle. ] 1. To toss back and forth; to agitate; to disquiet. [ 1913 Webster ]

White curl the waves, and the vexed ocean roars. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make angry or annoyed by little provocations; to irritate; to plague; to torment; to harass; to afflict; to trouble; to tease. “I will not vex your souls.” Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ten thousand torments vex my heart. Prior. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To twist; to weave. [ R. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

Some English wool, vexed in a Belgian loom. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- See Tease. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. To be irritated; to fret. [ R. ] Chapman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. vexatio: cf. F. vexation. ] 1. The act of vexing, or the state of being vexed; agitation; disquiet; trouble; irritation. [ 1913 Webster ]

Passions too violent . . . afford us nothing but vexation and pain. Sir W. Temple. [ 1913 Webster ]

Those who saw him after a defeat looked in vain for any trace of vexation. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. The cause of trouble or disquiet; affliction. [ 1913 Webster ]

Your children were vexation to your youth. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A harassing by process of law; a vexing or troubling, as by a malicious suit. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Chagrin; agitation; mortification; uneasiness; trouble; grief; sorrow; distress. See Chagrin. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Vexation. ] 1. Causing vexation; agitating; afflictive; annoying; as, a vexatious controversy; a vexatious neighbor. “Continual vexatious wars.” South. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Full of vexation, trouble, or disquiet; disturbed. [ 1913 Webster ]

He leads a vexatious life. Sir K. Digby. [ 1913 Webster ]

Vexatious suit (Law), a suit commenced for the purpose of giving trouble, or without cause. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Vex*a"tious*ly, adv. -- Vex*a"tious*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. 1. Annoyed; harassed; troubled. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Much debated or contested; causing discussion; as, a vexed question. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who vexes or troubles. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A vexillum. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. vexillarius: cf. F. vexillaire. ] A standard bearer. Tennyson. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ }[ Cf. F. vexillaire, L. vexillarius a standard bearer. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Of or pertaining to an ensign or standard. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Bot.) Of or pertaining to the vexillum, or upper petal of papilionaceous flowers. [ 1913 Webster ]

Vexilary aestivation (Bot.), a mode of aestivation in which one large upper petal folds over, and covers, the other smaller petals, as in most papilionaceous plants. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. vexillatio. ] (Rom. Antiq.) A company of troops under one vexillum. [ 1913 Webster ]