Yahoo Web Search

Search results

1. Dictionary

   Both·er

   /ˈbäT͟Hər/

   

   verb

   • 1. take the trouble to do something: "scientists rarely bother with such niceties"
   • 2. (of a circumstance or event) worry, disturb, or upset (someone): "is there an issue that bothers you so much you'd campaign against it?" Similar concern oneselftrouble oneselfmindcareworry oneselfburden oneselfoccupy oneselfbusy oneselftake the timemake the effortgo to troubleinconvenience oneselfinformal:give a damngive a hootgive a rapgive a hangworrytroubleconcernperturbdisturbdisquietdisconcertunnervefretupsetdistressalarmmake anxiouscause someone anxietywork upagitategnaw atweigh downlie heavy oninformal:rattlefazediscombobulateOpposite comfort
   • ▪ feel concern about or interest in: "don't bother about me—I'll find my own way home"
   • ▪ trouble or annoy (someone) by interrupting or causing inconvenience: "she didn't feel she could bother Mike with the problem" Similar disturbtroubleworryinconvenienceput outimpose onpesterbadgerharassmolestplaguebesettormentnaghounddogchivvyharryannoyupsetirritatevexprovokenettletry someone's patiencemake one's hackles riseinformal:hasslebuggive someone a hard timeget in someone's hairget on someone's caserub up the wrong waydrive up the wallget up someone's noseridedevilmitherheavyrarkrare:discommode

   noun

   • 1. effort, worry, or difficulty: "he saved me the bother of having to come up with a speech" Similar troubleeffortexertionstraininconveniencefussbustlehustle and bustledisruptionpainsinformal:hassle
   • ▪ a person or thing that causes annoyance or difficulty: "I hope she hasn't been a bother" Similar nuisancepestpalaverrigmarolejobtrialtribulationbindboredraginconveniencedifficultytroubleproblemirritationannoyancevexationinformal:hassleperformancepantomimesong and danceheadachepainpain in the neckpain in the backsidenyaffskelfpain in the buttnarkvulgar slang:pain in the arsepain in the ass

   Word Origin early 18th century (originally in the sense ‘confuse with noise’): of Anglo-Irish origin; perhaps a variant of pother, or perhaps borrowed from Irish bodhar ‘deaf, confused’.

   Scrabble Points: 11

   • B

     3

   • O

     1

   • T

     1

   • H

     4

   • E

     1

   • R

     1

   Powered by Oxford Languages

   More Definitions, Word Origin & ScrabbleShow less