hassle
verbEtymology Unknown. Probably from US Southern dialectal hassle (“to pant, breathe noisily”), possibly from haste + -le (frequentative suffix).
1
To trouble, to bother, to annoy.
- The unlucky boy was hassled by a gang of troublemakers on his way home.
- "Oh uncool bush! Unloose this passle Of furry cats that you hassle!"1969, Beard & Kennedy, Bored of the Rings, page 42:
2
To pick a fight or start an argument with.
3
To work through something troublesome; to be bothered by.
- If you don't want to hassle through converting formats, you'll have to stick with one program.
4
Aeronautics, Aerospace, Aviation, Business, Engineering, Government, Military, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Politics, War Slang To engage in a mock dogfight.
- Likewise, “hassling”—mock dogfighting—was strictly forbidden, and so naturally young fighter jocks could hardly wait to go up in, say, a pair of F–100s and start the duel by making a pass at each other at 800 miles an hour, […]2018, Tom Wolfe, The Right Stuff:
- If you were caught 'hassling,' as we called dogfighting, your career could end. The edict against dogfighting divided our squadron into three factions.2019, Dan Pedersen, Topgun: