Aggravate

Ag·gra·vate

Aggravate

v. t.

imp. & p. p. Aggravated; p. pr. & vb. n. Aggravating

  1. To make heavy or heavier; to add to; to increase. [Obs.]
  2. To make worse, or more severe; to render less tolerable or less excusable; to make more offensive; to enhance; to intensify.
    To aggravate the horrors of the scene.
    The defense made by the prisoner's counsel did rather aggravate than extenuate his crime.
  3. To give coloring to in description; to exaggerate; as, to aggravate circumstances.
  4. To exasperate; to provoke; to irritate. [Colloq.]
    If both were to aggravate her parents, as my brother and sister do mine.
    — Richardson (Clarissa).