pester
UK[ˈpɛstə]US[ˈpɛstər]
v
To annoy someone by repeatedly asking questions or making requests
Etymology
The verb 'pester' entered English in the mid-16th century, originally meaning 'to overcrowd' or 'to impede'. It derives from the Middle French word 'empestrer', meaning 'to hobble (a horse)' or 'to entangle'. This French term, in turn, comes from Vulgar Latin 'impastoriāre', a compound of the Latin prefix 'in-' (into) and 'pastor' (herdsman), thus literally 'to tether in a pasture'. The sense evolved from the literal idea of hobbling or encumbering an animal to the figurative sense of annoying or bothering a person with persistent, trivial demands, which became established by the late 16th century.
Analysis
The word 'pester' is a simplex word of English origin. It is not productively formed from separable modern English morphemes.
Examples
The children would constantly pester their parents for a new puppy.
Reporters began to pester the celebrity with questions about her personal life.
Please don't pester me while I'm trying to concentrate on this work.