bother

English

Etymology

From Scots bauther, bather "to bother". Origin unknown. Perhaps related to Scots pother "to make a stir or commotion, bustle", also of unknown origin.

Probably not connected with Irish buaidhrim "I vex" due to the extreme difference in the pronunciation between the two words.

Pronunciation

• enPR: bŏʹ-thər, IPA: /ˈbɒðər/, SAMPA: /"bQD@r/
• (Australia) IPA: [ˈbɔðə(ɹ)]
• (UK) IPA: [ˈbɒðə(ɹ)]

  • Audio (UK)

    (file)

  • Rhymes: -ɒðə(r)
• (US) IPA: [ˈbɑðɚ]

Verb

bother (third-person singular simple present bothers, present participle bothering, simple past and past participle bothered)

1. (transitive) To annoy, to disturb, to irritate.

   Would it bother you if I smoked?

2. (intransitive) To do something at one's own inconvenience.

   Why do I even bother to try?

3. (intransitive) To do something which is of negligible inconvenience.

   You didn't even bother to close the door.

Synonyms

• (annoy, disturb): annoy, disturb, irritate, put out, vex
• See also Wikisaurus:annoy

Usage notes

• This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive. See Appendix:English catenative verbs

Translations

to annoy, disturb

Albanian: shqetësoj (sq) Bulgarian: безпокоя (bg), дразня (bg), досаждам (bg) Catalan: molestar (ca) Czech: vadit (cs) Finnish: häiritä (fi), vaivata (fi) French: embêter (fr), gêner (fr), déranger (fr) German: belästigen (de) Hebrew: הפריע (he) Hungarian: zavar (hu), zaklat (hu) Icelandic: ergja (is), angra (is)

Italian: disturbare (it), infastidire (it) Norwegian: forstyrre (no), plage (no), bry (no), irritere (no) Polish: niepokoić, naprzykrzać się Portuguese: incomodar (pt) Romanian: deranja (ro), incomoda (ro), necăji (ro), supăra (ro) Russian: беспокоить (ru) Scottish Gaelic: sàraich, buair (gd), cuir dragh air (gd) Slovene: nadlegováti (sl) Spanish: molestar (es), agobiar (es) Turkish: rahatsız etmek (tr), canını sıkmak (tr)

to do something at one's own inconvenience

Hebrew: טרח (he), הטריח את עצמו (he) Hungarian: veszi a fáradságot (hu)

Italian: disturbarsi (it), prendersi la briga (it), preoccuparsi (it) Norwegian: gidde (no)

to do something which is of negligible inconvenience

Hebrew: טרח (he) Hungarian: veszi a fáradságot (hu)

Italian: preoccuparsi (it), disturbarsi (it) Norwegian: gidde (no)

Noun

bother (countable and uncountable; plural bothers)

1. Fuss, ado.

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

2. Trouble, inconvenience.

   Yes, I can do that for you - it's no bother.

Translations

fuss, ado

Albanian: shqetësim (sq) m. Bulgarian: грижи (bg) pl., безпокойство (bg) Icelandic: vesen (is) n. Italian: confusione (it) f., trambusto (it) m., agitazione (it) f.

Norwegian: kluss (no), bry (no) Romanian: agitație (ro) f., îngrijorare (ro) f. Spanish: cansón n.

trouble, inconvenience

Albanian: shqetësim (sq) Bulgarian: неприятности (bg) pl. Finnish: vaiva (fi), häiriö (fi) Hebrew: טרחה (t'irkha) f. Icelandic: vesen (is) n., mál (is) n., vandamál (is) n.

Italian: fastidio (it) m., incomodo (it) m., seccatura (it) f., problema (it) m. Polish: kłopot m. Romanian: deranj (ro) n., incomodare (ro) f. Santali: ᱚᱡᱚᱨ (ajar)

Interjection

bother!

1. A mild expression of annoyance.
   • 1926, A A Milne, Winnie the Pooh, Methuen & Co., Ltd., Chapter 2 ...in which Pooh goes visiting and gets into a tight place:

     "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!"

Synonyms

• blast, dang (US), darn

Translations

• Arabic: يضايق , يزعج
• French: zut!

Related terms

• be bothered
• bothered
• bothersome