Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - chivy

 or chivvy  transitive verb  (chivied or chivvied; ~ing or chivvying)  Etymology: ~, noun, chase, hunt, probably from English dialect Chevy Chase chase, confusion, from the name of a ballad describing the battle of Otterburn (1388)  Date: 1918  1. to tease or annoy with persistent petty attacks  2. to move or obtain by small maneuvers ~ an olive out of a bottle  Synonyms: see bait