Pesteringly

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In an annoying manner that consistently bothers or disturbs someone, involving relentless and unwelcome questioning or requests
2. Characterized by a repeated and troublesome way of causing irritation, marked by incessant demands or nagging behavior
3. Done in a way that persistently annoys another person, often through excessive or unwarranted interruptions or inquiries

Etymology: "Pester" has a surprisingly literal origin: it comes from the Anglo-French "empestrer", meaning to hobble or entangle an animal's legs, as with a horse caught in a tether. The image of being tied up and impeded gradually gave way to the sense of being harassed and pushed around, so that a word for physical restraint came to describe the constant nagging that wears someone down. "Pesteringly" is simply "pestering" with the adverbial suffix "-ly" attached, producing a way of doing something in a repeatedly irritating manner. It is a plain, transparent formation rather than a word with a dramatic history of its own, and its meaning follows directly from the verb.

Synonyms: annoyingly, botheringly

Antonyms: pleasantly