chafe
1 of 2verb/ʧeɪf/
Forms:chafes,chafing,chafed,chafed
1
to be irritated or annoyed by minor disturbances or constraints
- She chafed under the strict rules of the school.
- He chafed at his colleague's constant complaints.
- The prisoner chafed at the restrictions.
- The child chafed under the long wait.
- He chafed at the slow pace of bureaucracy.
2
(of a body part) to become sore or irritated due to being rubbed against something
C1- After the long hike, the straps of his backpack caused his shoulders to chafe, leaving red marks.
- The runner's thighs began to chafe from the friction of his shorts during the marathon.
- Wearing ill-fitting shoes caused his heels to chafe, resulting in painful blisters.
- The constant rubbing of the collar against his neck made it chafe, prompting him to switch to a softer fabric.
- The tight shoes caused her heels to chafe, leading to blisters after just a few hours of walking.
3
to generate warmth or stimulate circulation by rubbing
- He chafed his hands together to stay warm.
- She chafed his stiff shoulders in relief.
- He chafed his numb hands before putting on gloves.
- The hikers chafed each other's hands around the campfire.
- He chafed his knees to increase circulation.