bother

Study(19)

/ˈbɔðə(ɹ)/

verb 5noun 2intj 1

Collocations

(noun.)

VERB + BOTHER

have

We had some bother with the new software when we tried to install it yesterday.

cause, give sb

The noisy neighbors caused us a lot of bother last summer.

go to

She didn't want to go to the bother of cleaning the whole house before the guests arrived.

put sb to

We didn't want to put them to any bother by asking for directions.

save sb

Using the bus saved them the bother of finding a parking space downtown.

PHRASES

a bit/a little/a lot/a spot of bother

She had a bit of bother getting her car to start this morning.

no bother

Taking care of the house while they were away was no bother at all.

PREP

without any ~

The new staff member settled into the job without any bother.

~ to

It's no bother to pick up groceries on my way home from work.

~ with

She's been having some bother with her car lately, so she took it to the mechanic.

Definitions

verb

To annoy, to disturb, to irritate; to be troublesome to, to make trouble for.

Would it bother you if I smoked?

To annoy, to disturb, to irritate; to be troublesome to, to make trouble for.

To feel care or concern; to burden or inconvenience oneself out of concern.

I never bother about such trivialities.

I wouldn't bother with an umbrella if I were you.

To take the trouble, to trouble oneself (to do something).

Why do I even bother to try?

To take the trouble, to trouble oneself (to do something).

You didn’t even bother to close the door.

noun

Fuss, ado.

There was a bit of bother at the hairdresser's when they couldn't find my appointment in the book.

It was a 15-minute return trip to walk back home to pick up my device, but I weighed it up and decided that it wasn’t worth the bother.

Trouble, inconvenience.

Yes, I can do that for you—it’s no bother.

intj

A mild expression of annoyance.

[H]e suddenly flung down his brush on the floor, said "Bother!" and "Oh blow!" and also "Hang spring-cleaning!" and bolted out of the house without even waiting to put on his coat.

"Oh, help!" said Pooh. "I'd better go back." "Oh, bother!" said Pooh. "I shall have to go on." "I can't do either!" said Pooh. "Oh, help and bother!"

Thesaurus

Synonyms

noun — something or someone that causes trouble

noun — an angry disturbance

verb — cause annoyance in

verb — take the trouble to do something

trouble

verb — to cause inconvenience or discomfort to

Antonyms

Idioms & Phrases

spot of bother

A slight problem; a small predicament.

I had a spot of bother with a sticky key on my keyboard.

Example Bank

Would it bother you if I smoked?

Wiktionary

I never bother about such trivialities.

Wiktionary

I wouldn't bother with an umbrella if I were you.

Wiktionary

There was a bit of bother at the hairdresser's when they couldn't find my appointment in the book.

Wiktionary

It was a 15-minute return trip to walk back home to pick up my device, but I weighed it up and decided that it wasn’t worth the bother.

Wiktionary

Yes, I can do that for you—it’s no bother.

Wiktionary

Usage Notes

i Register

In some senses, bother is marked as dated, euphemistic. Watch for register when choosing this word.

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