Lewis & Short

vexo (inf. vexarier, Verg. Cir. 480), āvi, ātum, 1, v. freq. a. [veho], orig., to shake, jolt, toss in carrying; hence, in gen., to move violently, to shake, agitate.

  1. I. Lit. (rare; syn. quatio): vexasse grave verbum est, factumque ab eo videtur, quod est vehere; in quo inest jam vis quaedam alieni arbitrii. Non enim sui potens est, qui vehitur. Vexare autem, quod ex eo inclinatum est, vi atque motu procul dubio vastiore est. Nam qui fertur et raptatur atque huc atque illuc distrahitur, is vexari proprie dicitur, etc., Gell. 2, 6, 5: (rector) per confragosa vexabitur, Cic. Rep. 2, 41, 68: navigia in summum veniant vexata periclum, Lucr. 6, 430: Dulichias vexasse rates, Verg. E. 6, 76: classis vexata est tempestate, Vell. 2, 79, 4: (venti vis) montes supremos Silvifragis vexat flabris, Lucr. 1, 275: venti caeli nubila vexant, Ov. M. 11, 435: in turbā vexatus, tossed back and forth, Suet. Aug. 53 fin.: ruina cum clade vexatarum regionum (of an earthquake), Just. 17, 1, 3.
  2. II. Transf., in gen., to injure, damage, molest, annoy, distress, plague, trouble, maltreat, abuse, vex, harass, disquiet, disturb, torment, etc. (syn.: ango, crucio, vasto, the predom. signif. of the word).
    1. A. Physically: cum Hannibal terram Italiam laceraret atque vexaret, Cato ap. Gell. 2, 6, 7: agros vectigales vexatos et exinanitos a Verre, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 52, § 122: Siciliam, id. ib. 1, 4, 12; 2, 3, 54, § 125: omnem Galliam, Caes. B. G. 2, 4: agros, id. ib. 4, 15 fin.: urbes, Cic. Cat. 1, 11, 29: rem publicam, id. ib. 1, 10, 27: Amanienses hostes sempiternos, id. Fam. 2, 10, 3: hostes, Caes. B. G. 6, 43; Hirt. B. G. 8, 31 al.: vexati omnes difficultate viae, Liv. 40, 22, 6; 42, 55, 3: vexato exercitu descendit, id. 36, 30, 6: quos et ipsos … locorum asperitas hostiliter vexavit, id. 43, 5, 10; Nep. Eum. 5, 2: quem (stomachum) umor vexat, Plin. 20, 8, 32, § 76: fauces (tussis), Mart. 11, 86, 1: vites frigore, Plin. 17, 24, 37, § 217: dentes percussu, id. 28, 11, 49, § 180: vestem solo, to rumple, disorder, Petr. 128: rosas, to crush, Mart. 11, 89, 2: comas, to twist, frizzle, Ov. Am. 1, 14, 24.
      In mal. part.: maritum, Mart. 8, 46, 7; 11, 81, 1; Petr. 139; Aus. Epigr. 108.
        1. b. In the part. perf. subst.: vexāta, ōrum, n., injured parts of the body, hurts, injuries, Cels. 7 praef. fin.; ib. 1; Plin. 8, 27, 41, § 97; Scrib. Comp. 101.
    2. B. Mentally: aliquem probris maledictisque, Cic. Fl. 20, 48: (Quinctius) multis vexatus contumeliis, id. Quint. 31, 98: aliquem honestissimis contentionibus, id. Phil. 3, 9, 23: aliquem iis verbis, ut, etc., id. Sest. 28, 60: vexatur Theophrastus et libris et scholis omnium philosophorum, is attacked, id. Tusc. 5, 9, 25: sollicitudo vexat impios, disquiets, torments, id. Leg. 1, 14, 40; cf.: ita conscientia mentem excitam vexabat, Sall. C. 15, 4: me honoris cupido vexabat, id. ib. 3, 5: mentem mariti philtris, Juv. 6, 611.