| Main Entry: | pick at/pick on |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | nag, provoke |
Synonyms: |
badger, bait, blame, bully, carp, cavil, criticize, find fault, foment, get at, get to, goad, hector, incite, instigate, quibble, start, tease, torment |
Antonyms: |
compliment, praise |
| Main Entry: | bicker |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | nastily argue |
Synonyms: |
altercate, brawl, caterwaul, cause a scene, cavil, dig, disagree, dispute, fall out, fight, hassle, pick at, quarrel, quibble, row, scrap, scrape, spar, spat, squabble, tiff, trade zingers, wrangle |
| Notes: | to bicker is to quarrel and to dicker is to haggle or bargain |
Antonyms: |
agree, concede, discuss |
| Main Entry: | carp |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | nag |
Synonyms: |
bother, cavil, censure, complain, criticize, find fault, fuss, grumble, hypercriticize, knock, nitpick, objurgate, pan, peck, pick at, quibble, reproach |
Antonyms: |
ignore, let go |
| Main Entry: | criticize |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | disapprove, judge as bad |
Synonyms: |
animadvert on, bash, blame, blast, blister, carp, castigate, censure, chastise, chide, clobber, come down on, condemn, cut down, cut to bits, cut up, denounce, denunciate, disparage, do a number on, dress down, excoriate, find fault, fluff, fulminate against, fustigate, give bad press, hit, jump on, knock*, lambaste*, nag at, nit-pick, pan, pick at, rap, reprehend, reprimand, reprobate, reprove, rip*, roast, scathe, scorch*, skin alive, skin*, slam*, slog, slug, take down, trash*, trim*, zap |
Antonyms: |
approve, compliment, laud, praise |
| Main Entry: | examine |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | analyze, test |
Synonyms: |
appraise, assay, audit, canvass, case, check, check out, chew over, consider, criticize, delve into, dig into, explore, eye*, finger*, frisk, go into, go over, go through, gun*, inquire, inspect, investigate, look over, look see, parse, pat down, peruse, pick at, ponder, pore over, probe, prospect, prove, read, reconnoiter, research, review, scan, scope, screen, scrutinate, scrutinize, search into, sift, size up, study, survey, sweep, take stock of, try, turn over, vet, view, weigh, winnow |
| Main Entry: | nag |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | harass, bother |
Synonyms: |
annoy, badger, bait, berate, bug*, carp at, dog*, eat*, egg, find fault, fuss, give a hard time, goad, harry, heckle, hector, hound, importune, irk, irritate, needle, nudge*, pester, pick at, plague, prod, provoke, ride, scold, take it out on, tease, torment, upbraid, urge, vex, work on, worry |
Antonyms: |
assuage, please |
| Main Entry: | nosh |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | snack |
Synonyms: |
eat between meals, munch, nibble, pick at, taste |
| Main Entry: | pester |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | bother, harass |
Synonyms: |
annoy, badger, be at, bedevil, beleaguer, bug*, disturb, dog*, drive crazy, drive up the wall, fret, get at, get in one's hair, get on one's nerves, get to, harry, hassle, hector, hound, importune, insist, irk, mess with, nag, nudge, pick at, plague, provoke, remind, ride*, tantalize, tease, torment, work on, worry |
Antonyms: |
delight, make happy, please |
| Main Entry: | remonstrate |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | argue against |
Synonyms: |
animadvert, blame, censure, challenge, combat, complain, criticize, decry, demur, deprecate, disapprove, disparage, dispute, dissent, except, expostulate, fight, find fault, frown upon, inveigh, kick*, nag, object, oppose, pick at, protest, rain, recriminate, resist, scold, sound off, take exception, take issue, withstand |
Antonyms: |
agree, concede, give in |
| Main Entry: | strain |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | cause mental stress |
Synonyms: |
distress, harass, hassle, irk, pain, pick at, push, stress, trouble, try |
Antonyms: |
calm, placate, soothe |