The Hebrew verb tarad means to drive away, chase, or pursue persistently. The word has the nuance of relentless, continuous pursuit — not a single act but an ongoing pressure. In its primary biblical usage, it appears in Proverbs to describe the nagging that drives a man from his home.
Proverbs 19:13 and 27:15 use tarad (or its root) to compare a quarrelsome wife to a dripping faucet that drives a man from his home. While the context is domestic, the principle is universal: persistent irritation wears down even the strongest resolve. Theologically, the passage calls husbands and wives to cultivate homes of peace. The irony in Proverbs is that the man can endure rain and hardship but is driven away by unrelenting domestic conflict — showing that relational peace is a profound human need.