bother Meaning, Definition & Usage

noun an angry disturbance
trouble; hassle; fuss.
- he didn't want to make a fuss
- they had labor trouble
- a spot of bother
noun something or someone that causes trouble; a source of unhappiness
annoyance; pain in the ass; pain; infliction; botheration; pain in the neck.
- washing dishes was a nuisance before we got a dish washer
- a bit of a bother
- he's not a friend, he's an infliction
verb take the trouble to do something; concern oneself
inconvenience oneself; trouble; trouble oneself.
- He did not trouble to call his mother on her birthday
- Don't bother, please
verb cause annoyance in; disturb, especially by minor irritations
annoy; rag; devil; vex; irritate; nettle; rile; get to; nark; get at; gravel; chafe.
- Mosquitoes buzzing in my ear really bothers me
- It irritates me that she never closes the door after she leaves
verb to cause inconvenience or discomfort to
disoblige; inconvenience; incommode; discommode; trouble; put out.
- Sorry to trouble you, but...
verb intrude or enter uninvited
- Don't bother the professor while she is grading term papers
verb make nervous or agitated
- The mere thought of her bothered him and made his heart beat faster
verb make confused or perplexed or puzzled

Cf. Ir. buaidhirt trouble, buaidhrim I vex.

imperfect & past participle Bothered (); present participle & verbal noun Bothering

To annoy; to trouble; to worry; to perplex. See Pother. ✍ The imperative is sometimes used as an exclamation mildly imprecatory.

To feel care or anxiety; to make or take trouble; to be troublesome.
Without bothering about it. H. James.

One who, or that which, bothers; state of perplexity or annoyance; embarrassment; worry; disturbance; petty trouble; as, to be in a bother.