molest

Contents

EnglishEdit

EtymologyEdit

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

VerbEdit

molest (third-person singular simple present molests, present participle molesting, simple past and past participle molested)

1. To annoy intentionally.
2. To disturb or tamper with.
   • Hooker

     They have molested the church with needless opposition.

3. To sexually abuse, especially a minor.

Derived termsEdit

• molester
• molestful

Related termsEdit

• molestation

TranslationsEdit

to abuse

• Catalan: assetjar (ca)
• Finnish: kiusata (fi), ahdistella (fi), (sexually) käyttää hyväksi, (sexually) hyväksikäyttää
• French: violer (fr), abuser (fr)
• Greek: κακοποιώ (el) (kakopoió), ασελγώ (el) (aselgó)
• Maori: tūkino, takakino, whakakino, whakakinokino

• Portuguese: molestar (pt)
• Russian: совращать (ru) (sovraščatʹ), растлевать (ru) (rastlevatʹ)
• Spanish: acosar (es)
• Swedish: antasta (sv)

to annoy intentionally

• Finnish: kiusata (fi), vaivata (fi), rasittaa (fi), häiritä (fi), ärsyttää (fi)
• French: embêter (fr)
• German: belästigen (de)
• Maori: turatura, mui

• Romanian: molesta (ro), necăji (ro)
• Russian: досажда́ть (ru) (dosaždátʹ)
• Spanish: molestar (es)
• Swedish: störa (sv)

to disturb or tamper with

• Finnish: häiritä (fi)

• Swedish: störa (sv), ofreda (sv)

Further readingEdit

• molest in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
• molest in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911

AnagramsEdit

• motels