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Chafe   /tʃeɪf/   Listen
Chafe

verb
(past & past part. chafed; pres. part. chafing)
1.
Become or make sore by or as if by rubbing.  Synonyms: fret, gall.
2.
Feel extreme irritation or anger.
3.
Cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations.  Synonyms: annoy, bother, devil, get at, get to, gravel, irritate, nark, nettle, rag, rile, vex.  "It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves"
4.
Tear or wear off the skin or make sore by abrading.  Synonym: excoriate.
5.
Cause friction.  Synonyms: fray, fret, rub, scratch.
6.
Warm by rubbing, as with the hands.
noun
1.
Soreness and warmth caused by friction.
2.
Anger produced by some annoying irritation.  Synonyms: annoyance, vexation.






WordNet 3.0 © 2010 Princeton University








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"Chafe" Quotes from Famous Books



... child spread it over the seaman's chest, and tucked it carefully down at his sides, between his body and the wet garments. Then the three sat down beside him, and, each seizing a limb, began to rub and chafe with a degree of energy that nothing could resist! At any rate it put life into John Bumpus, for that hardy mariner gradually began to ...
— Gascoyne, the Sandal-Wood Trader • R.M. Ballantyne

... There were no means of getting off, save to let down the boat, and tow the schooner out into the wind,—rather a ticklish job among ice, and in so dim a light. "The Curlew" lay broadside against the berg, but did not seem to chafe or batter much: on the contrary, we were borne along by the ice with far less motion than if out in ...
— Left on Labrador - or, The cruise of the Schooner-yacht 'Curlew.' as Recorded by 'Wash.' • Charles Asbury Stephens

... determined to watch his proceedings. However, the hypocrisy of Athol baffled even the penetration of his brother, and on his retiring from the ground to call forth his men for the expedition, in an affected chafe he complained to Badenoch of the stigma cast upon their house by ...
— The Scottish Chiefs • Miss Jane Porter

... of the slough; He'll fall again, if he be driven to speak, And then, where are we, for a second week? Why, lifting up his heavy drunken corse! Tell on thy tale, and look we to his horse. Yet, Manciple, in faith thou art too nice Thus openly to chafe him for his vice. Perchance some day he'll do as much for thee, And bring thy baker's bills in jeopardy, Thy black jacks also, and thy butcher's matters, And whether they square ...
— Playful Poems • Henry Morley

... happen. He blow and she tumble about and her chain chafe—chafe tarrible sometime. Nineteen year those chain ban chafe so. One time he blow ten day without stop, but" (he removed his big pipe to laugh aloud)—"but ten day over and she right dere. Good ol' 67, she ban ...
— Wide Courses • James Brendan Connolly


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