Molest
late Middle English (in the sense ‘cause trouble to, vex’): from Old French molester or Latin molestare ‘annoy’, from molestus ‘troublesome’.
wiktionary
From Middle English molesten, from Old French molester, from Latin molestō(“to trouble, annoy, molest”), from molestus(“troublesome”), from moles(“a burden, difficulty, labor, trouble”); see mole.
etymonline
molest (v.)
late 14c., molesten, "to cause trouble, grief, or vexation, disturb, harass," from Old French molester "to torment, trouble, bother" (12c.) and directly from Latin molestare "to disturb, trouble, annoy," from molestus "troublesome, annoying, unmanageable," which is perhaps related to moles "mass" (see mole (n.3)) on notion of either "burden" or "barrier." Meaning "sexually assault" is attested by 1950. Related: Molested; molesting.
