To produce a festering or inflamed effect; to cause a sore; used literally and figuratively; as, a splinter rankles in the flesh; the words rankled in his bosom
If an event or situation rankles, it makes you feel angry or bitter afterwards, because you think it was unfair or wrong. They paid him only £10 for it and it really rankled Britain's refusal to sell Portugal arms in 1937 still rankled with him The only thing that rankles me is what she says about Ireland. if something rankles, you still remember it angrily because it upset you or annoyed you a lot (draoncler, raoncler, from draoncle, raoncle , from dracunculus, from draco )