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tr.v. pes·tered, pes·ter·ing, pes·ters To annoy persistently, as with repeated demands or questions. See Synonyms at harass. [Probably short for French empestrer, to constrain, embarrass (probably also influenced by PEST), from Old French, from Vulgar Latin *impāstōriāre : Latin in-, in; see IN-2 + Vulgar Latin *pāstōria, a hobble, from Latin, feminine of pāstōrius, of a herdsman (from pāstor, herdsman; see pā- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots).] pester·er n. |
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