The action of making a problem or situation worse, or the feeling of annoyance and frustration.
From Latin aggravare, combining ad ('to') and gravare ('to burden, weigh down'), from gravis ('heavy'). Originally meant making something literally heavier or more burdensome. The sense of annoyance developed in the 19th century.
The connection between 'aggravation' and 'gravity' isn't coincidental - they both come from Latin gravis meaning 'heavy'. When something aggravates you, it's literally adding weight to your burden, making your situation heavier to bear. This is why we say problems 'weigh on us'.
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