rile
UK: raɪl | US: raɪl
vt. to irritate or annoy someone
vt. to stir up (a liquid) to make it muddy or agitated (archaic/regional usage)
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The word "rile" originated as a variant of "roil," which initially meant "to make a liquid cloudy or agitated." Over time, its meaning expanded metaphorically to describe irritating or disturbing someone emotionally. The shift from physical agitation (liquid) to emotional agitation reflects a common linguistic pattern where concrete actions are applied to abstract states.
His constant complaints began to rile even the most patient coworkers.
Don’t let their teasing rile you—stay calm.
The muddy water was riled up by the passing boats.
She knew how to rile her brother by bringing up old arguments.
The politician’s remarks riled the crowd into shouting protests.