nettle

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The Word of the Day for January 6 is:=20

nettle   \NET-ul\   verb
          1 : to strike or sting with or as if with nettles=20
    *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 h=
ave sharp bristles that can leave you smarting and itching. The painful =
and irritating rash that nettles cause can last for days, but at least i=
t is a rash with a linguistic silver lining. The discomfort caused by ne=
ttles can serve to remind one that the verb "nettle" is a synonym of "ir=
ritate." "Nettle" originated as a plant name that we can trace to the Ol=
d English word "netel." Eventually, people likened the nagging itch caus=
ed 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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