Humor Spot : But can we feed them?

This funny photo is rich in vocabulary!! I’ve given you the definitions, but as a good vocabulary exercise, look the words up in a dictionary to see how they are used.

annoy		to make someone feel slightly angry or impatient
torment		to annoy someone, especially for fun
pester		to keep annoying someone, especially by asking them for something or asking them to do something
molest		to behave in a violent or threatening way towards someone
worry		to make someone feel nervous and upset
badger		to try to make someone do something by asking them many times
harry		to continue to argue with someone or ask them for things so that they become tired or annoyed
harass		to keep annoying or upsetting someone, for example by criticizing them, attacking them, or treating them in a way that is offensive to them
heckle (not hackle!)		to interrupt a speaker at a public meeting by shouting remarks, insults etc at them
persecute		to frequently annoy or threaten someone
irk (formal)		to annoy someone
rag (American)		to criticize someone in an angry way
vex (old fashioned)		to make someone annoyed, confused, or worried
bother		to annoy someone by interrupting them when they are busy or want to be left alone
tease		to annoy an animal in order to have fun
nettle (informal)		to annoy someone
tantalise (British spelling), tantalize (American spelling)		to make someone feel excited by showing or offering them something that they want, often with no intention of giving it to them
ruffle (informal)		to make someone feel upset

Here are some other interesting expressions that use the above vocabulary:

- don’t worry your head about something (American spoken expression) - used for telling someone not to worry about something in a way that suggests you think they are not capable of dealing with the problem

Don’t worry your head about a single detail of the party. I’ll take care of everything.

- someone can’t be bothered (British informal) - used for saying that someone will not do something because they feel lazy or because it is too much effort

I said I’d go out with them tonight, but I can’t be bothered.

Those horrible campers couldn’t even be bothered to pick up their rubbish.

- don’t bother (spoken expression) - used for telling someone that they do not need to do something for you. You can also say this in a way that shows you think someone has not been very helpful

‘I’ll get you a chair.’ ‘No, please don’t bother.’

- to ruffle someone’s feathers (informal) - to make someone feel worried or annoyed

I imagine that all the new changes in the marketing department this year are going to ruffle John’s feathers.