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chafe

(chāf)

v. chafed, chaf·ing, chafes

v. tr.

1. To wear away or irritate by rubbing or friction: The starched collar chafed my neck.

2. To annoy; vex: “It chafed him no end to be under obligation to her” (Carson McCullers).

3. To warm by rubbing, as with the hands: The skaters chafed their cold hands.

v. intr.

1. To cause irritation by rubbing or friction: The high collar chafed against my neck.

2. To become worn or sore from rubbing or friction: My hands chafed from washing them with harsh soap.

3. To feel irritated or impatient: They chafed at the delay. The reporters chafed under the new restrictions.

1. Warmth, wear, or soreness produced by friction.

2. Annoyance; vexation.

[Middle English chafen, from Old French chaufer, to warm, from Vulgar Latin *calefāre, alteration of Latin calefacere : calēre, to be warm; see kelə-¹ in the Appendix of Indo-European roots + facere, to make; see dhē- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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