(v. t.) To excite too much.

abrade agent provocateur aggravate agitate amplify arouse augment awake awaken badger bait be at bedevil beleaguer beset blow the coals blow up bother bristle brown off bug build up bullyrag burn up call forth call up chafe chivy deepen deteriorate devil discompose distemper distress disturb dog embitter enhance enkindle enlarge enrage exacerbate exasperate excite exercise fan fan the fire fan the flame fash feed the fire fire flame foment frenzy fret gall get get at gnaw gripe harass harry hassle heat heat up heckle hector heighten hot up hound huff impassion incense incite increase inflame infuriate intensify irk irritate key up kindle lather up light the fuse light up madden magnify make acute make worse miff molest move nag needle nettle nudzh overexcite peeve persecute perturb pester pick on pique plague pluck the beard pother provoke rankle ride rile roil rouse rub ruffle set astir set fire to set on fire set up sharpen sour steam up stir stir the blood stir the embers stir the feelings stir up summon up tease torment trouble try the patience turn on tweak the nose upset vex wake wake up waken warm warm the blood whip up work into work up worry worsen