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/e/exacerbate

Exacerbate

EXACERB'ATE, verb transitive [Latin exacerbo, to irritate; ex and acerbo, from acerbus, severe, bitter, harsh, sour. See [[Harvest]].]

1. To irritate; to exasperate; to inflame angry passions; to imbitter; to increase malignant qualities.

2. To increase the violence of a disease.