Meaning

noun someone who is regarded as contemptible

noun aggravation by deriding or mocking or criticizing

verb harass with persistent criticism or carping

originPIE word *h₂éd The verb is an apheretic form of atwite (“(obsolete) to blame, reproach”), from Middle English atwiten (“to attribute (something) to someone; to blame (something) on someone; to accuse or charge (someone) with something; to speak ill of; to taunt”), from Old English ætwītan (“to blame, reproach; to censure, upbraid; to taunt”), from æt- (prefix meaning ‘at, near; toward’) + wītan…

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 3.0