hassle

Etymology

Unknown. Probably from US Southern dialectal hassle (“to pant, breathe noisily”), possibly from haste + -le (frequentative suffix).

noun

1. Trouble, bother, unwanted annoyances or problems.
   I went through a lot of hassle to be the first to get a ticket.
2. A fight or argument.
3. An action which is not worth the difficulty involved.

verb

1. (transitive) To trouble, to bother, to annoy.
   The unlucky boy was hassled by a gang of troublemakers on his way home.
   Oh uncool bush! Unloose this passle Of furry cats that you hassle! 1969, Beard & Kennedy, Bored of the Rings, page 42
2. (transitive) To pick a fight or start an argument with.
3. (military, aviation, slang) To engage in a mock dogfight.
   Likewise, “hassling”—mock dogfighting—was strictly forbidden, and so naturally young fighter jocks could hardly wait to go up in, say, a pair of F–100s and start the duel by making a pass at each other at 800 miles an hour, […] 2018, Tom Wolfe, The Right Stuff
   If you were caught 'hassling,' as we called dogfighting, your career could end. The edict against dogfighting divided our squadron into three factions. 2019, Dan Pedersen, Topgun

adj

1. (Philippines) hassling; hasslesome