exasperate
Preserved but no longer current.
To over-aspirate the letter H, or to aspirate it whenever it commences a word, as is commonly done by under-educated people who wish to show off their breeding. EXASPERATION does not refer to an omission of the aspirate.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “exasperate” mean?
To over-aspirate the letter H, or to aspirate it whenever it commences a word, as is commonly done by under-educated people who wish to show off their breeding. EXASPERATION does not refer to an omission of the aspirate.
Is “exasperate” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.