1. (n.) The act of making worse\; -- used of evils, natural or moral; the act of increasing in severity or heinousness; something additional to a crime or wrong and enhancing its guilt or injurious consequences.

2. (n.) Exaggerated representation.

3. (n.) An extrinsic circumstance or accident which increases the guilt of a crime or the misery of a calamity.

4. (n.) Provocation; irritation.

accelerando acceleration adverse circumstances adversity affliction agitation animation annoyance annoyingness arousal arousing bad news bedevilment beefing-up blight blowing up blowup bore bother botheration bothersomeness bummer care concentration condensation consolidation crashing bore cross curse deepening devilment difficulties difficulty disapprobation disapproval discontent displeasure dissatisfaction dogging downer drag electrification enhancement exacerbation exaggeration exasperation excitation excitement exhilaration explosion fomentation galvanization harassment hard knocks hard life hard lot hardcase hardship harrying headache heating-up heightening hounding incitement inflammation information explosion infuriation intensification irksomeness irritation lathering up magnification molestation nuisance persecution perturbation peskiness pest pestiferousness pickup plaguesomeness plight population explosion pother predicament pressure problem provocation provokingness redoubling reinforcement resentfulness resentment rigor sea of troubles speedup steaming up step-up stimulation stimulus stirring stirring up strengthening stress stress of life tightening tiresomeness trial tribulation trouble troubles troublesomeness vale of tears vexation vexatiousness vicissitude wearisomeness whipping up working up worriment worrisomeness worry