- 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"
- excite to an abnormal condition, or chafe or inflame;
"Aspirin irritates my stomach"
- excite to some characteristic action or condition, such as motion, contraction, or nervous impulse, by the application of a stimulus;
"irritate the glands of a leaf"
