Dictionary

molest en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /məˈlɛst/

Etymology

From Middle English molesten, from Old French molester, from Latin molestō (“to trouble, annoy, molest”), from molestus (“troublesome”), from moles (“a burden, difficulty, labor, trouble”); see mole.

Meanings

1. To sexually assault or sexually harass.
   • I knew you wasn't normal ever since the age of nine / I, heard you were molested when you hit the age of five / So, in a sense I sensed that all your innocence had died / You, swallowing all of your pride, won't, let anybody inside / As you cry me a thousand lakes on my shoulder blade, I say / Everything's gonna be okay / I'ma hold tight 'til I see the next day with you / Stay with you, play with you, pray with you and pray to you 2018, “Taboo”, in Ta13oo (hip-hop), performed by Denzel Curry, United States:
   • At last he simmered down, choked out his explanations. And the news was indeed enormous. That afternoon, just three hours earlier, his younger sister, Gina, had been molested, debauched, as she crossed a children's playground in the park. 1976 June 7, Nik Cohn, “Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night”, in New York, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 29 Dec 2022:
2. (dated) To annoy, trouble, or afflict.
   • A person must not delay, obstruct, hinder or molest an authorized officer who is performing a function under this Regulation. 2020, Chief Executive in Council, “Prevention and Control of Disease (Prohibition on Group Gathering) Regulation”, in Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Gazette, Section 13(1), page B555:
   • They have molested the church with needless opposition. [1594], Richard Hooker, edited by J[ohn] S[penser], Of the Lawes of Ecclesiastical Politie, […], London: […] Iohn Windet, […], →OCLC, (please specify the page):
   • It was a true sanctuary. Once inside, the Faces were unreachable. Nothing could molest them. They were no longer the oppressed, wretched teen menials who must take orders, toe the line. Here they took command, they reigned. 1976 June 7, Nik Cohn, “Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night”, in New York, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 29 Dec 2022:
3. (dated) To disturb or tamper with.

Forms

Deriveds

molestache · molestee · unmolested · molestable · molestability · molester · molestful · unmolesting

Relateds

molestation

Synonyms

burn up · get under someone's skin · give someone the shits · burn someone's ass · get someone's nanny · irk · grotch · bug · provoke · chap someone's hide · raise someone's hackles · sting · get on someone's nerves · test someone's patience · rub up the wrong way · pee off · mommick · acerbate · disturb · roil · exasperate · interfere with · bother · dabble in · get someone's Irish up · tee off · rile · put someone's back up · piss off · ruffle someone's feathers · touch · peeve · get · hack off · annoy · nerve · Idioms: · persecute · diddle[black humor|humorous]]> · get someone's dander up · hassle · get up · get someone's goat · molest · bother · pique · harsh one's mellow · boil someone's piss · torque off · aggravate · trouble · tick off · storm · nettle · rub someone the wrong way · come on to · get under one's goat · disgruntle · get on someone's tits · rile up · nark · meddle with · get someone's back up · wind up · devil · jazz · vex · frustrate · peeve off · cheese off · grate · antagonize · botherate · bedevil · rankle · get on someone's wick · try one's patience · grind one's gears · get someone's nanny-goat · irritate · ruffle

Translations (56)

grc ὀχλέω (to annoy intentionally) · fr abuser (to abuse) · fi hyväksikäyttää (to abuse) · pt molestar (to annoy intentionally) · mi whakatete (to annoy intentionally) · fi kiusata (to annoy intentionally) · ca assetjar (to abuse) · es molestar (to annoy intentionally) · fi rasittaa (to annoy intentionally) · fi häiritä (to annoy intentionally) · sv antasta (to abuse) · fi ärsyttää (to annoy intentionally) · ang eġlan (to annoy intentionally) · fi käyttää hyväksi (to abuse) · ro necăji (to annoy intentionally) · bg задявам (to annoy intentionally) · ru досажда́ть (to annoy intentionally) · ru совращать (to abuse) · fi vaivata (to annoy intentionally) · el κακοποιώ (to abuse) · es abusar sexualmente (To sexually assault or sexually harass) · es acosar sexualmente (To sexually assault or sexually harass) · el ασελγώ (to abuse) · uk чіплятися (to annoy intentionally) · bg безпокоя (to disturb or tamper with) · mi turatura (to abuse) · pl molestować (to disturb or tamper with) · fi ahdistella (to abuse) · mi takakino (to abuse) · mi mui (to annoy intentionally) · fi kiusata (to abuse) · mi whakakino (to abuse) · mi tūkino (to abuse) · fa آزار دادن (to annoy intentionally) · fr violer (to abuse) · fr embêter (to annoy intentionally) · es molestar sexualmente (To sexually assault or sexually harass) · ru растлевать (to abuse) · de belästigen (to annoy intentionally) · es apalpar indebidamente (To sexually assault or sexually harass) · mi whakakinokino (to abuse) · fi häiritä (to disturb or tamper with) · ro molesta (to annoy intentionally) · da antaste (to abuse) · es acosar (to abuse) · sv störa (to disturb or tamper with) · pt molestar (to abuse) · ga cuir isteach ar (to annoy intentionally) · pl molestować (to abuse) · uk докучати (to annoy intentionally) · pl naprzykrzać się (to annoy intentionally) · mi turatura (to annoy intentionally) · pl molestować (to annoy intentionally) · sv ofreda (to disturb or tamper with) · sv störa (to annoy intentionally) · nb antaste (to abuse)