bother
bother Lexical Profile
bother Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To annoy, disturb, or cause minor irritation to someone.
"Please do not bother your sister while she is studying for her exams."
To take the trouble or make the effort to do something (often used in negative or interrogative contexts).
"He didn't even bother to call and let us know he would be late."
To cause someone to feel worried, anxious, or upset.
"What bothers me most is the lack of transparency in the decision-making process."
• noun
Effort, trouble, or inconvenience caused by having to do something.
"Setting up the new software was no bother at all."
A person or thing that causes annoyance, difficulty, or worry.
"Having to renew the permit every month is a real bother."
• interjection
British Used to express mild irritation, impatience, or annoyance.
"Oh bother, I left my umbrella on the train again!"
• Rhymes for bother
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
First recorded in the early 18th century in Anglo-Irish writers (such as Jonathan Swift and Thomas Sheridan), possibly derived from Irish bodhar ('deaf, bewildered') or bodhraim ('I deafen, annoy').