Roiled

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Having been stirred or disturbed so that liquid or air becomes cloudy or turbulent ; feeling emotionally unsettled or distressed
2. Describes liquid or air made murky or choppy by movement ; expressing a state of emotional agitation or turmoil
3. Characterizes a substance that is churned up or confused in motion ; conveying a person’s mind or feelings in a state of unrest or upset

Etymology: "Roiled" is the past form of "roil," and its origin is uncertain. One possibility is the French verb "rouiller," meaning "to rust" or "make muddy," which in turn came from Old French "rouil," a word for mud or rust. That Old French term is traced to a Vulgar Latin form, "robicula," built on the Latin "robigo," meaning rust or blight. So a verb now used for stirring up a pond may trace back to the idea of rust. The link between rust and muddy water is the heart of the puzzle. Both the French and Latin roots carry a sense of discoloration and decay, and a liquid roused from the bottom turns murky, much as a dull, corroded surface looks clouded. The same image of disturbed clouding was then carried over to emotions, so that a person can feel "roiled" by anger or worry in the way a lake is roiled by wind.

Synonyms: agitated, disturbed, stirred, disquieted, troubled

Antonyms: calmed, settled, soothed, pacified, quieted