Ag'gra-vāte, v. t.
v. t. [imp. & p. p. AGGRAVATED; p. pr. & vb. n. AGGRAVATING.] [Lat. aggravare, from ad and gravare, to load, from gravis, heavy; Fr. aggraver, It. aggravare, aggrevare, Sp. aggravare, O. Fr. agrever, Fr. agreujar. See GRAVE, GRAVITY, and AGGRIEVE.]
Sense 1. To make heavy, and hence, to add to. “I will aggravate his style,” [i. e., add to his titles.] Shak.
Sense 2. To make worse, more severe, more enormous, less tolerable, or less excusable; to enhance. “The offense was aggravated by the motive.” Bacon. “To aggravate the horrors of the scene.” Prescott.
These proofs rather aggravate than dispel the infatuation. I. Taylor.
Sense 3. To give coloring to in description; to give an exaggerated representation; to heighten; as, to aggravate circumstances. Paley.
Sense 4. To provoke or irritate; to tease. “Which makes it only the more aggravating.” Thackeray.
I was so aggravated that I almost doubt if I did know. Dickens.
☞ This last sense has been recently introduced, and though not uncommon, is of questionable propriety.
Synonyms—To heighten; raise; make worse; increase; magnify; exaggerate.