Vex vs Affront - What's the difference?

As verbs the difference between vex and affront

is that vex is to trouble aggressively, to harass while affront is to insult intentionally, especially openly.

As nouns the difference between vex and affront

is that vex is initialism of w:Venus Express|Venus Express|lang=en while affront is an open or intentional offense, slight, or insult.

vex

English

Verb

(es)

To trouble aggressively, to harass.

* 1526 , (William Tyndale), trans. Bible , Acts XII:

In that tyme Herode the kynge layed hondes on certayne of the congregacion, to vexe them.

To annoy, irritate.

Billy's professor was vexed by his continued failure to improve his grades.

To cause (mental) suffering to; to distress.

(rare) To twist, to weave.

* Dryden

some English wool, vexed in a Belgian loom

(obsolete) To be irritated; to fret.

(Chapman)

To toss back and forth; to agitate; to disquiet.

* Alexander Pope

White curl the waves, and the vexed ocean roars.

Quotations

* (English Citations of "vex")

Synonyms

* (to annoy) agitate, irritate * (to cause mental suffering) afflict, torment

Derived terms

* vexed * vexer * vexingly * vexation * vexatious

affront

English

(wikipedia affront)

Verb

(en verb)

To insult intentionally, especially openly.

* Addison

How can anyone imagine that the fathers would have dared to affront the wife of Aurelius?

To meet defiantly; to confront.

to affront death

* 1978 , (Lawrence Durrell), Livia'', Faber & Faber 1992 (''Avignon Quintet ), p. 436:

Avignon was beginning to settle down for the night – that long painful stretch of time which must somehow be affronted .

(obsolete) To meet or encounter face to face.

* Holland

All the sea-coasts do affront the Levant.

* Shakespeare

That he, as 'twere by accident, may here / Affront Ophelia.

Synonyms

* See also

Noun

(en noun)

An open or intentional offense, slight, or insult.

Such behavior is an affront to society.

(obsolete) A hostile encounter or meeting.

Synonyms

* See also