chafe

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C1 — Advanced

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun soreness and warmth caused by friction
  2. noun anger produced by some annoying irritation
  3. verb become or make sore by or as if by rubbing

Etymology

From Middle English chaufen (“to warm”), borrowed from Old French chaufer (modern French chauffer), from Latin calefacere, calfacere (“to make warm”), from calere (“to be warm”) + facere (“to make”). See caldron.

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