MOLESTATION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does molestation mean? 

• MOLESTATION (noun)
  The noun MOLESTATION has 2 senses:

1. the act of subjecting someone to unwanted or improper sexual advances or activity (especially women or children)

2. the act of tormenting by continued persistent attacks and criticism

  Familiarity information: MOLESTATION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MOLESTATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of subjecting someone to unwanted or improper sexual advances or activity (especially women or children)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("molestation" is a kind of...):

sex crime; sex offense; sexual abuse; sexual assault (a statutory offense that provides that it is a crime to knowingly cause another person to engage in an unwanted sexual act by force or threat)

Derivation:

molest (harass or assault sexually; make indecent advances to)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The act of tormenting by continued persistent attacks and criticism

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

harassment; molestation

Hypernyms ("molestation" is a kind of...):

mistreatment (the practice of treating (someone or something) badly)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "molestation"):

baiting (harassment especially of a tethered animal)

badgering; bedevilment; torment; worrying (the act of harassing someone)

sexual harassment (unwelcome sexual behavior by a supervisor toward an employee)

ribbing; tantalization; tease; teasing (the act of harassing someone playfully or maliciously (especially by ridicule); provoking someone with persistent annoyances)

witch-hunt (searching out and harassing dissenters)

Derivation:

molest (annoy continually or chronically)

 Context examples 

If, leaving here, you seek any refuge in this town in any character but your true one (which you are welcome to bear, without molestation from me), the same service shall be done you, if I hear of your retreat.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I believe the readiness of our return volley had scattered the mutineers once more, for we were suffered without further molestation to get the poor old gamekeeper hoisted over the stockade and carried, groaning and bleeding, into the log-house.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)