What does the word annoyed mean here?

Question

Annoyed, the zoo director had the height increased to 30 feet, but the kangaroo still escaped.
What does the word annoyed mean here? Does it mean "after she had been annoyed" or "because she had been annoyed"? Or does it serve simply as an adjective modifying the subject? If it means "after she had been annoyed," isn't the word supposed to be "Having been annoyed" since the main verb is past perfect?Could you help me clarify it? Thank you always.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

deborahjeongWhat does the word annoyed mean here?

irritated, mildly angry

deborahjeongDoes it mean "after she had been annoyed" or "because she had been annoyed"?

It's more of a 'because' relationship the way I read it, which of course includes 'after'. When X happens because of Y, Y has to come before X in time. Here 'because' makes more sense. With the word 'because', not only does one thing happen after another, like for example, when one's bedtime comes after the sunset, but the one thing causes the next thing, as when flipping a switch causes a light to come on.

deborahjeong Or does it serve simply as an adjective modifying the subject?

It's really a second predicate of 'the zoo director'. At least that's the explanation I prefer when I explain these constructions. She was annoyed (by the fact that the kangaroo kept escaping). However, in this case I think it may also be heard as an adjective modifying 'the zoo director' — but that would more likely be written as 'the annoyed zoo director', which is another way of constructing the sentence.

deborahjeongHaving been annoyed

annoyed alone, being annoyed, and having been annoyed are all taken to mean the same thing in these constructions. The more complex 'having been' constructions are not much used in ordinary conversation; they belong to more formal styles.

CJ

What does the word annoyed mean here?

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