chafe

Meaning

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) Heat excited by friction.
2. (countable, uncountable) Injury or wear caused by friction.
3. (archaic, countable, uncountable) Vexation; irritation of mind; rage.

Verb

1. (transitive) To excite heat in by friction; to rub in order to stimulate and make warm.
2. (figuratively, transitive) To excite passion or anger in; to fret; to irritate.
3. (transitive) To fret and wear by rubbing.
4. (intransitive) To rub; to come together so as to wear by rubbing; to wear by friction.
5. (intransitive) To be worn by rubbing.
6. (figuratively, intransitive) To have a feeling of vexation; to be vexed; to fret; to be irritated.

Synonyms

rub

fret

file

irritate

mash

scratch

annoy

gall

vex

rile

fray

rub against

rub sore

friction

nark

gravel

rubbing

rag

scrape

nettle

abrade

get at

abrasion

scrub

annoyance

brush

vexation

provoke

bother

get to

devil

grate

chafing

get impatient

become irritated

tease

irritation

excoriate

scour

exasperate

aggravate

pique

exacerbate

wear

claw

get

clamp

🗜️

frost

lose one’s head

kid

🧒

Translations

irritar

rozar

frotter

reiben

τρίβω

fregare

scheuern

frotar

verschleißen

molestar

ennuyer

sich aneinander reiben

ερεθίζομαι

προστρίβω

érafler

Pronounced as (IPA)

/t͡ʃeɪf/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: chaufen

In summary

From Middle English chaufen (“to warm”), borrowed from Old French chaufer (modern French chauffer), from Latin calefacere, calfacere (“to make warm”), from calere (“to be warm”) + facere (“to make”). See caldron.