— pesterer , n. — pesteringly , adv. — pestersome , adj.
/pes"teuhr/ , v.t.
1. to bother persistently with petty annoyances; trouble: Don't pester me with your trivial problems.
2. Obs. to overcrowd.
[ 1530-40; perh. aph. var. of empester, impester to tangle, encumber (though pester is found earlier than these 2 words) empestrer to hobble, entangle impastoriare to hobble, equiv. to im- IM- 1 + pastori ( a ) a hobble, n. use of L pastorius of a herdsman or shepherd + -are inf. suffix (see PASTOR); aph. form appar. reinforced by PEST (cf. -ER 6 ) ]
Syn. 1. annoy, vex, tease, disturb; irritate, provoke, plague; badger, harry, hector.
Ant. 1. delight, entertain.