exacerbate

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The Word of the Day for May 22 is:

exacerbate   \ig-ZASS-er-bayt\   verb
     : to make more violent, bitter, or severe

Example sentence: 
      A nasty rash caused Jenna's arm to itch all over, and the doctor said 
that scratching it would only exacerbate the problem.

Did you know?
      Make it a point to know that the Latin adjective "acer," meaning "sharp," 
forms the basis of a number of words that have come into English. The words 
"acerbic" ("having a bitter temper or sour mood"), "acrid" ("having a sharp 
taste or odor"), and "acrimony" ("a harsh manner or disposition") are just the 
tip of the iceberg. First appearing in English in the 17th century, 
"exacerbate" derives from the prefix "ex-," which means "out of" or "outside," 
and "acerbus," which means "harsh" or "bitter" and comes from "acer." Just as 
pouring salt in a wound worsens pain, things that exacerbate can cause a 
situation to go from bad to worse. A pointed insult, for example, might 
exacerbate tensions between two rivals.