Rankle


[rang-kuh l] /ˈræŋ kəl/

verb (used without object), rankled, rankling.
1.
(of unpleasant feelings, experiences, etc.) to continue to cause keen irritation or bitter resentment within the mind; fester; be painful.
verb (used with object), rankled, rankling.
2.
to cause keen irritation or bitter resentment in:
His colleague’s harsh criticism rankled him for days.
/ˈræŋkəl/
verb
1.
(intransitive) to cause severe and continuous irritation, anger, or bitterness; fester: his failure to win still rankles
v.

c.1300, “to fester,” from Old French rancler, earlier raoncler, draoncler “to suppurate, run,” from draoncle “abscess, festering sore,” from Medieval Latin dracunculus, literally “little dragon,” diminutive of Latin draco “serpent, dragon” (see dragon). The notion is of an ulcer caused by a snake’s bite. Meaning “cause to fester” is from c.1400. Related: Rankled; rankling.

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    [rang-kuh l] /ˈræŋ kəl/ verb (used without object), rankled, rankling. 1. (of unpleasant feelings, experiences, etc.) to continue to cause keen irritation or bitter resentment within the mind; fester; be painful. verb (used with object), rankled, rankling. 2. to cause keen irritation or bitter resentment in: His colleague’s harsh criticism rankled him for days. /ˈræŋkəl/ […]

  • Rankles

    [rang-kuh l] /ˈræŋ kəl/ verb (used without object), rankled, rankling. 1. (of unpleasant feelings, experiences, etc.) to continue to cause keen irritation or bitter resentment within the mind; fester; be painful. verb (used with object), rankled, rankling. 2. to cause keen irritation or bitter resentment in: His colleague’s harsh criticism rankled him for days. /ˈræŋkəl/ […]

  • Rankling

    [rang-kuh l] /ˈræŋ kəl/ verb (used without object), rankled, rankling. 1. (of unpleasant feelings, experiences, etc.) to continue to cause keen irritation or bitter resentment within the mind; fester; be painful. verb (used with object), rankled, rankling. 2. to cause keen irritation or bitter resentment in: His colleague’s harsh criticism rankled him for days. /ˈræŋkəl/ […]

  • Rankless

    [rangk] /ræŋk/ noun 1. a number of persons forming a separate class in a social hierarchy or in any graded body. 2. a social or official position or standing, as in the armed forces: the rank of captain. 3. high position or station in the social or some similar scale: a woman of rank. 4. […]

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    [rangk] /ræŋk/ adjective, ranker, rankest. 1. growing with excessive luxuriance; vigorous and tall of growth: tall rank weeds. 2. producing an excessive and coarse growth, as land. 3. having an offensively strong smell or taste: a rank cigar. 4. offensively strong, as a smell or taste. 5. utter; absolute: a rank amateur; rank treachery. 6. […]


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