rankle
verb
- annoy
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈɹæŋ.kəl/ / [ˈɹæŋ.kl̩] / /ˈɹeɪ̯ŋ.kəl/
noun
Etymology: From Middle English ranklen, ranclen, from Old French rancler, räoncler, draoncler (“to ulcerate, to form a boil”), from Old French draoncle (“a boil”), from Latin dracunculus (“little serpent”), diminutive of Latin dracō (“serpent, dragon”).
- A festering, embittering object or condition, either mental, or a physical sore or ulcer.
“To this the Prince appeared to acquiesce; but I saw it did not please, and left a rankle in his mind.”
verb
Etymology: From Middle English ranklen, ranclen, from Old French rancler, räoncler, draoncler (“to ulcerate, to form a boil”), from Old French draoncle (“a boil”), from Latin dracunculus (“little serpent”), diminutive of Latin dracō (“serpent, dragon”).
- To cause irritation, bitterness or acrimony.
“My colleague's gratuitous criticism still rankles with me.”
“[…] and the alliance which was dictated by sound policy, by family ties, and by just fear of England's sea power, was further assured to France by recent and still existing injuries that must continue to rankle with Spain. […]”
- To fester.
“a splinter rankles in the flesh”
“But yet the cause and root of all his ill, Inward corruption and infected sin, Not purg'd nor heald, behind remained still, And festring sore did rankle yet within […]”