reizen
Translation
to irritate, to provoke, to tempt, to attract
Examples
Der Rauch reizt meine Augen.
The smoke irritates my eyes.
Sein Verhalten reizt mich.
His behavior irritates me.
Das Angebot reizt mich sehr.
The offer tempts me greatly.
Grammar Patterns
((sb./sth.)) to irritate sb./sth. Der Rauch reizt die Augen.
((sb.)) to tempt/attract sb. Das Abenteuer reizt ihn.
((sb.)) ((to sth.)) to provoke sb. to sth. Er reizte ihn zum Widerspruch.
Similar Words
Synonyms: provozieren, irritieren, anziehen, verlocken; Antonyms: beruhigen, besänftigen
Etymology
From Middle High German 'reizen' (to incite, to set upon), related to the core idea of providing a stimulus.
Memory Tips
Think of 'Reiz' as a stimulus. It can be a positive stimulus (charm) or a negative one (irritation). The verb 'reizen' covers both.