online medical dictionary | definition of pester

1. To trouble; to disturb; to annoy; to harass with petty vexations. "We are pestered with mice and rats." (Dr. H. More) "A multitude of scribblers daily pester the world." (Dryden)

2. To crowd together in an annoying way; to overcrowd; to infest. "All rivers and pools . . . Pestered full with fishes." (Holland)

Origin: Abbrev. Fr. Impester, fr. OF. Empaistrier, empestrer, to entangle the feet or legs, to embarrass, F. Empetrer; pref. Em-, en- (L. In in) + LL. Pastorium, pastoria, a fetter by which horses are prevented from wandering in the pastures, fr. L. Pastorius belonging to a herdsman or shepherd, pastor a herdsman. See In, and Pasture, Pastor.

(01 Mar 1998)