nettle

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The Word of the Day for January 6 is: 

nettle   \NET-ul\   verb
          1 : to strike or sting with or as if with nettles 
    *2 : to arouse to sharp but transitory annoyance or anger

Example sentence:
          You could tell by his nervous reaction that the town official was 
nettled by the reporter's probing questions.

Did you know?
          If you've ever brushed against nettles, you know those weeds have 
sharp bristles that can leave you smarting and itching. The painful and 
irritating rash that nettles cause can last for days, but at least it is a rash 
with a linguistic silver lining. The discomfort caused by nettles can serve to 
remind one that the verb "nettle" is a synonym of "irritate." "Nettle" 
originated as a plant name that we can trace to the Old English word "netel." 
Eventually, people likened the nagging itch caused by the plant to the nagging 
aggravation of being annoyed, and "nettle" became a synonym of "vex," "peeve," 
and of course "irritate."





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