The term "nettled" is often employed to convey a nuanced sense of irritation or vexation, capturing characters’ subdued yet palpable annoyance. Writers use it to reflect a range of emotional responses—from gentle, almost humorous displeasure to a more pointed, self-conscious irritation. In dialogue, a character might remark in a "little nettled" tone when slighted in conversation [1, 2], or a narrator might note how a man grows particularly "nettled" by an unexpected insult [3, 4]. Its versatility allows authors to subtly signal internal unrest or social discontent without resorting to overt anger, as seen in varied contexts from domestic disputes to broader political frustrations [5, 6, 7].