| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | shred, grind down |
| Synonyms: | abrade, bark, bray, file, fray, gall, mince, pound, pulverize, rasp, raze, rub, scrape, scratch, scuff, skin, triturate |
| Main Entry: | abrade |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | scrape |
| Synonyms: | chafe, erode, grate, rub, rub off, scuff, triturate, wear, wear down |
| Main Entry: | aggravate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | annoy |
| Synonyms: | be at, be on the back of, bother, bug, bum*, dog, drive up the wall, exasperate, gall, get, get on one's nerves, get to, give a hard time, grate, hack, irk, irritate, nag, needle, nettle, peeve, pester, pick on, pique, provoke, tease, vex, wig |
| Notes: | to aggravate is to make something worse, while to exacerbate is to increase something's bitterness or harshness aggravate means 'to add to' an already troublesome or vexing matter or condition while irritate means 'to vex, annoy, or chafe' irritate means 'inflame' (originally 'excite, rouse'); aggravate means 'worsen' |
| Antonyms: | appease, gladden, make happy, mollify, soften |
| Main Entry: | chafe |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | rub, grind against |
| Synonyms: | abrade, bark, corrode, damage, erode, excoriate, gall, grate, graze, hurt, impair, inflame, irritate, peel, ruffle, scrape, scratch, skin, wear |
| Notes: | to chafe means to rub until sore or worn; to chaff means to tease good-naturedly |
| Main Entry: | chafe |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | annoy |
| Synonyms: | abrade, anger, annoy, bother, exasperate, exercise, fret, fume, gall, grate, harass, incense, inflame, irk, irritate, itch, offend, provoke, rage, rasp, rub, ruffle, scrape, scratch, vex, worry |
| Notes: | to chafe means to rub until sore or worn; to chaff means to tease good-naturedly |
| Antonyms: | make happy |
| Main Entry: | clash |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | hit with a loud noise |
| Synonyms: | bang, bump, clang, clank, clatter, collide, crash, grate, grind, jangle, jar, jolt, prang, rattle, scrap, scrimmage, shock, smash, wallop |
| Main Entry: | clash |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | fight about, often verbally |
| Synonyms: | argue, bang heads, battle, brawl, buck, combat, conflict, contend, cross swords, differ, disagree, encounter, feud, fret, gall, grapple, grate, mix it up, quarrel, raise Cain, row, try, war, wrangle |
| Antonyms: | agree |
| Main Entry: | file |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | rub down, grind |
| Synonyms: | abrade, burnish, erode, finish, furbish, grate, level, polish, rasp, raze, refine, scrape, shape, sharpen, smooth |
| Main Entry: | fireplace |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | hearth for burning wood |
| Synonyms: | bed of coals, blaze, chimney, fireside, furnace, grate, hearthside, hob, ingle, inglenook, ingleside, settle, stove |