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irritability

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irritability

 

  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Irritability  \Ir`ri*ta*bil"i*ty\,  n.  [L.  irritabilitas:  cf  F. 
  irritabilit['e].] 
  1.  The  state  or  quality  of  being  irritable;  quick 
  excitability;  petulance;  fretfulness;  as  irritability  of 
  temper. 
 
  2.  (Physiol.)  A  natural  susceptibility,  characteristic  of  all 
  living  organisms,  tissues,  and  cells,  to  the  influence  of 
  certain  stimuli,  response  being  manifested  in  a  variety  of 
  ways,  --  as  that  quality  in  plants  by  which  they  exhibit 
  motion  under  suitable  stimulation;  esp.,  the  property 
  which  living  muscle  processes,  of  responding  either  to  a 
  direct  stimulus  of  its  substance,  or  to  the  stimulating 
  influence  of  its  nerve  fibers,  the  response  being 
  indicated  by  a  change  of  form  or  contraction; 
  contractility. 
 
  3.  (Med.)  A  condition  of  morbid  excitability  of  an  organ  or 
  part  of  the  body;  undue  susceptibility  to  the  influence  of 
  stimuli.  See  {Irritation},  n.,  3. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  irritability 
  n  1:  an  irritable  petulant  feeling  [syn:  {crossness},  {fretfulness}, 
  {fussiness},  {peevishness},  {petulance},  {choler}] 
  2:  excessive  sensitivity  of  an  organ  or  body  part  [syn:  {excitability}] 
  3:  a  disposition  to  exhibit  uncontrolled  anger;  "his  temper  was 
  well  known  to  all  his  employees"  [syn:  {temper},  {biliousness}, 
  {peevishness},  {pettishness},  {snappishness},  {surliness}]




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