· hinder or prevent (the efforts, plans, or desires) of; "What ultimately frustrated every challenger was Ruth's amazing September surge"; "foil your opponent"
Synonym(s): thwart, queer, spoil, scotch, foil, cross, baffle, bilk
Hypernym(s): prevent, forestall, foreclose, preclude, forbid
· treat cruelly; "The children tormented the stuttering teacher"
Synonym(s): torment, rag, bedevil, crucify, dun
Hypernym(s): harass, hassle, harry, chivy, chivvy, chevy, chevvy, beset, plague, molest, provoke