rankle
[ rang-kuhl ]
/ ˈræŋ kəl /
verb (used without object), ran·kled, ran·kling.
(of unpleasant feelings, experiences, etc.) to continue to cause keen irritation or bitter resentment within the mind; fester; be painful.
verb (used with object), ran·kled, ran·kling.
to cause keen irritation or bitter resentment in: His colleague's harsh criticism rankled him for days.
Origin of rankle
OTHER WORDS FROM rankle
ran·kling·ly, adverb un·ran·kled, adjectiveWords nearby rankle
rankine cycle,
rankine scale,
ranking,
ranking member,
rankism,
rankle,
rankshift,
ransack,
ransom,
ransome,
ransomware
Example sentences from the Web for rankling
British Dictionary definitions for rankling
rankle
/ (ˈræŋkəl) /
verb
(intr)
to cause severe and continuous irritation, anger, or bitterness; fester
his failure to win still rankles
Word Origin for rankle
C14
ranclen, from Old French
draoncler to fester, from
draoncle ulcer, from Latin
dracunculus small serpent, from
dracō serpent; see
dragon