Rankle1. (v.) To irritate; to produce inflammation; -- used literally and figuratively.
2. (v.) To produce a festering or inflamed effect; to cause a sore; -- used literally and figuratively; as, a splinter rankles in the flesh; the words rankled in his bosom.
3. (v. t.) To cause to fester; to make sore; to inflame.
Thesaurus Entries
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