bothern.
/ˈbɒðə/, U.S. /ˈbɑðər/ 1.
a. Trouble, difficulty; an instance of this. Cf. spot of bother at spot n.1 23a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > difficulty > types of difficulty > [noun] > difficulty, trouble, or bother
clondc1275
businessa1387
adoc1400
importunityc1475
fatigue1669
bother1761
botherment1821
picnic1896
palaver1899
hassle1959
the mind > emotion > suffering > state of being upset or perturbed > worry > [noun]
troublec1230
troublingc1340
troublancec1400
troublement1484
fretting1526
maceration1616
troubledness1631
heartburn1747
bother1761
embroil1799
worry1804
worrit1818
botherment1821
worriment1833
worriting1845
1761 ‘Whackum Smackum’ Scrubs of Parnassus 21 Helter skelter, in the bother, They tumbl'd over one another.
1772 G. A. Stevens Songs Comic & Satyrical xxxiii. 63 I don't mind the bother 'bout Subject and King.
1836 M. Scott Cruise of Midge xv. 254 We had a little bother with him at first.
1851 H. Mayhew London Labour I. 200/2 I was in the service of a Custom-house agency firm; but they got into bother about contrabands.
1852 W. M. Thackeray Henry Esmond III. i. 23 The right-divine about which Dr. Sacheverel and the high-church party in England were just now making a bother.
1911 Sunset Apr. 445/1 All are punished for making so much bother.
1940 Boys' Life Jan. 4/1 Now we shall have no end of bother before we reach Rhodes.
2005 S. Elmes Talking for Brit. xi. 287 You're going to get yourself in a whole lot of bother.
b. Effort, work, inconvenience.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > effort or exertion > [noun]
hightOE
workOE
business1340
afforcinga1398
enforce1487
effort1490
contention1583
heave and shove1600
luctation1651
struggle1706
pingle1728
exertion1777
bother1823
brainstorming1839
beef1851
go-go-go1934
1823 Bell's Life in London 13 July 575/2 Meself can't stand the bother of it any longer at all!
1867 ‘Diogenes Jr.’ Shadows of Coming Events ix. 82 A paltry sum like £37..is hardly worth the bother of dividing.
1886 Austral. Jrnl. Aug. 657/1 It's never any use whatever being in love with anybody; always more bother than it's worth.
1919 F. A. Kummer & M. Christian Peggy-Elise viii. 114 Don't go to any bother about dinner. There are lots of canned things.
1962 B. Moore Answer from Limbo 236 I'll run down to the corner and get you some milk and tea and stuff... It's no bother.
2010 V. McDermid Trick of Dark vi. 150 Here. Save yourself the bother of getting up. Use my phone.
c. A person who or thing which causes annoyance, trouble, or difficulty; a nuisance.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > state of annoyance or vexation > [noun] > cause of annoyance or vexation > one who or that which annoys
noyera1382
annoyancec1405
offender?a1425
fretter?1504
traik1513
vexer1530
annoying1566
annoyer1577
plagueship1628
annoyancer1632
disobliger1648
nuisance1661
galler1674
bug1785
torment1785
botheration1801
nark1846
scunner1865
bother1866
botherer1869
crucifier1870
dinlo1873
bastard1919
skelf1927
dick1966
wazzock1976
knob jockey1989
1866 Princess Alice Let. 29 Aug. in Biogr. Sketches & Lett. (1885) 147 Mountain air Weber wants me to have, and quiet, away from all bothers.
1922 E. M. Walker Bunny's House xv. 243 If you could be contented there.., you should never have any more bothers.
1969 J. Collins Stud x. 86 Oh, Tony, I'm being such a bother... You don't have to go to all this trouble.
2012 N.Y. Times Mag. 20 May 54/3 Stemmed glasses can be a bit of a bother.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > [noun] > nonsense, rubbish, humbug
flim-flam1570
flam1694
all my eye1763
bother1794
humbug1825
blague1839
bunkum1850
bambosh1865
eyewash1889
phonus-bolonus1929
phoney baloney1933
candyfloss1951
1794 Magic Lantern 13 You cannot raise a flame With all your Irish bother.
1803 J. Bristed Ανθρωπλανομενος I. 267 Among an ignorant..peasantry the bother must consist of coarse and broad flattery laid on with a trowel.
1821 W. Hone Slap at Slop & Bridge-street Gang 24 In wishing that the Press should be securely chained, the Members of this Society have no desire to limit their own bother.
1894 Missionary Rev. of World Sept. 652 ‘I am glad,’ said the Emerald Isle delegate, ‘to be able to bring you glad tidings from the land of bother and blarney.’
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2016; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
† botheradj.
α. early Middle English baþre, early Middle English baðre, early Middle English bothre (in copy of Old English charter), Middle English baiþer, Middle English bather, Middle English baþer, Middle English beither, Middle English beiþer, Middle English bethere, Middle English beyþere, Middle English bother, Middle English bothere, Middle English bothir, Middle English boþer, Middle English boþere.
β. Middle English botheres, Middle English bothers, Middle English botherys, Middle English boþeres, Middle English boþers; Scottish pre-1700 batharis, pre-1700 batheris.
N.E.D. (1887) also records a form Middle English baþern. Obsolete.
Of or belonging to both the people specified. In early use following the genitive of a plural personal pronoun; in later use following a plural possessive adjective. Cf. both adj. 4, alther adj.
ΚΠ
α.
β. c1400 (c1378) W. Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. xvi. l. 165 Cryst toke þe bataille, Aȝeines deth and þe deuel destruyed her botheres myȝtes.c1475 Brome Abraham & Isaac in N. Davis Non-Cycle Plays & Fragm. (1970) 54 I schall mvltyplye ȝowrys botherys sede As thyke as sterrys be in the skye.a1550 (c1425) Andrew of Wyntoun Oryg. Cron. Scotl. (Wemyss) lxxxvi. 1992 Gif scho had had a knyf Scho suld haif lossit thare batheris lif.c1175 Ormulum (Burchfield transcript) l. 6183 Inn all þatt ȝho ȝeorneþþ wiþþ skill. To ȝunnkerr baþre gode.
c1275 ( Will of Ælfgar (Sawyer 1483) in D. Whitelock Anglo-Saxon Wills (1930) 8 Ic [an] mine moder þat lond at Ryssebroc gif heo leng liuið þan hic, þanne after vnker bother day ic an it Winelme.
c1330 (?c1300) Speculum Guy (Auch.) (1898) l. 952 To a pore widewe he him sende, Here beyþere [a1400 Royal 17 B.xvii bothus] lyf to amende.
a1400 (a1325) Cursor Mundi (Vesp.) 23958 Þair baiþer paines aght to be mine.
1459 in J. Wilson Reg. Priory St. Bees (1915) 578 I..herd thair bothir compleyntes [printed bothir, compleyntes], grefeaunce, answers, & replicacons.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2016; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
botherv.int.
/ˈbɒðə/, U.S. /ˈbɑðər/ A. v.† 1. transitive. Chiefly Irish English. colloquial. To confuse or deafen with noise or chatter; to muddle, bewilder, fluster. Obsolete.† 5. intransitive. colloquial. To use insincere or flattering talk in order to achieve or obtain something; to bluff; to blarney. Also transitive: to deceive (a person) by bluffing; to smooth-talk. Cf. bother n. 2. Obsolete. rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > inattention > mental wandering > confuse, bewilder [verb (transitive)]
bewhapec1320
mara1350
blunder?a1400
mada1425
to turn a person's brainc1440
astonish1530
maskc1540
dare1547
bemud1599
bedazea1605
dizzy1604
bemist1609
muddify1647
lose1649
bafflea1657
bewildera1680
bother?1718
bemuse1734
muddlea1748
flurrya1757
muzz1786
muzzle1796
flusker1841
haze1858
bemuddle1862
jitter1932
giggle-
?1718 T. Sheridan in J. Swift Wks. (1814) XV. 100 With the din of which tube my head you so bother.
1756 A. Murphy Apprentice ii. 25 You'll see how I'll bodder 'em—Tho' by my Shoul..I'd be frightened when every Thing is in a Hub-bub.
1832 Whistle-Binkie 1st Ser. 81 The hearts of the maids, and the gentlemen's heads, were bother'd, I'm sure, by this Irishman.
1845 A. M. Hall Whiteboy II. iv. 71 It's nothing but the walking over crossed hazel or the like that's bothered him entirely.
1854 A. E. Baker Gloss. Northants. Words I. 69 You bother me so with your chattering, that I don't know what I'm about.
2.
a. transitive. To cause trouble or inconvenience for (a person). Also: to pester, annoy.In earlier use frequently in representations of colloquial Irish English speech.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > state of annoyance or vexation > be annoyed or vexed by [verb (transitive)] > annoy or vex
gremec893
dretchc900
awhenec1000
teenOE
fretc1290
annoyc1300
atrayc1320
encumberc1330
diseasec1340
grindc1350
distemperc1386
offenda1387
arra1400
avexa1400
derea1400
miscomforta1400
angerc1400
engrievec1400
vex1418
molesta1425
entrouble?1435
destroublea1450
poina1450
rubc1450
to wring (a person) on the mailsc1450
disprofit1483
agrea1492
trouble1515
grig1553
mis-set?1553
nip?1553
grate1555
gripe1559
spitec1563
fike?1572
gall1573
corsie1574
corrosive1581
touch1581
disaccommodate1586
macerate1588
perplex1590
thorn1592
exulcerate1593
plague1595
incommode1598
affret1600
brier1601
to gall or tread on (one's) kibes1603
discommodate1606
incommodate1611
to grate on or upon1631
disincommodate1635
shog1636
ulcerate1647
incommodiate1650
to put (a person) out of his (her, etc.) way1653
discommodiate1654
discommode1657
ruffle1659
regrate1661
disoblige1668
torment1718
pesta1729
chagrin1734
pingle1740
bothera1745
potter1747
wherrit1762
to tweak the nose of1784
to play up1803
tout1808
rasp1810
outrage1818
worrit1818
werrit1825
buggerlug1850
taigle1865
get1867
to give a person the pip1881
to get across ——1888
nark1888
eat1893
to twist the tail1895
dudgeon1906
to tweak the tail of1909
sore1929
to put up1930
wouldn't it rip you!1941
sheg1943
to dick around1944
cheese1946
to pee off1946
to honk off1970
to fuck off1973
to tweak (a person's or thing's) tail1977
to tweak (a person's or thing's) nose1983
to wind up1984
to dick about1996
to-teen-
a1745 J. Swift Dial. Hibern. Style in Wks. (1824) VII. 156 Lord I was bodderd t'other day with that prating fool, Tom.
1753 Dialogue Swift & Prior St. Patrick's Church, Dublin 123 You boddered me enough with many of these Articles already.
1766 Gazetteer & New Daily Advertiser 11 Mar. Let us..be no longer bothered with a reason to justify a constant exportation of corn.
1831 H. Matthew Let. Apr. in C. Darwin Corr. (1985) I. 118 I was too much bothered by my w—e when in London to write much.
1887 J. M. Wright Heir of Athole x. 206 I haven't anything agin' the police..they never bothered me any, and I never bothered them.
1907 E. von Arnim Fräulein Schmidt xiv. 62 I am determined never to bother you to write.
1920 Boys' Life July 9/1 Don't come bothering me with your silly questions.
1982 W. J. Burley Wycliffe's Wild-Goose Chase i. 17 ‘Sorry to bother you on a Sunday morning...’ ‘Think nothing of it’.
2005 Word Feb. 112/1 Smart, exclusive venues, where they were unlikely to be bothered by scary weirdos.
b. intransitive. colloquial. To cause trouble; to make a fuss; to fuss. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > state of annoyance or vexation > be annoyed or vexed [verb (intransitive)] > cause annoyance or vexation
to work (also do) annoyc1300
noya1387
to do noisance1437
molest1580
bothera1774
annoy1848
needle1874
stir1972
a1774 R. Fergusson Poems (1785) 170 Lang's their debating thereanent, About Protests they're bauthrin.
1787 ‘P. Pindar’ Ode upon Ode (ed. 7) 43 If Musicians miss but half a bar, Just like an Irishman she starts to bother.
1863 N. Hawthorne Our Old Home I. 249 We bothered a good while about getting through a..lock.
1863 C. Kingsley Water-babies iii. 119 To prevent the Cythrawl Sassenach..from coming bothering into Wales.
1900 Pall Mall Mag. 21 387 Ain't you got enough of your own good ground to muck up and spoil, but you must come bothering into my little lot?
1955 R. K. Narayan Waiting for Mahatma i. 124 All this sitting in the mud and bothering and fighting was uncalled for.
c. transitive. euphemistic. Of a man: to make sexual demands of (a woman). Esp. with reference to a husband and wife.
ΚΠ
1913 H. Ellis Stud. Psychol. Sex (ed. 2) III. 209 This same woman..said her husband ‘did not bother her very often’.
1933 E. A. Robertson Ordinary Families x. 225 You see, the man she'd married before I came along, 'e 'adn't been bothering 'er for years.
1953 Marriage & Family Living 15 332/2 The husband was oversexed, she said, and bothered her every day from the minute he came home until late at night with his demands.
1981 D. Wilcox & E. Rantzen Kill Chocolate Biscuit v. 90 Under Mormon practice, apparently you don't ‘bother’ your wife if she is expecting a child.
3.
a. transitive (reflexive). To concern oneself about or with something; to take the trouble, make the effort to do something. Also: to interest oneself in something.
ΚΠ
1796 T. Morton Way to get Married i. ii. 19 Don't bother yourself about such a trifle—pay him!
1827 Lancet 6 Jan. 434/2 It is not worth while bothering one's self about the actions of these muscles.
1834 I. Steward Prediction III. iv. 328 Leave off botherin' yourself with brightnin' them candlesticks, aunt.
1918 J. Agate Buzz, Buzz! i. 11 In Ibsen the characters who bother themselves about the arts are invariably humbugs or hypocrites.
1988 G. Patterson Burning your Own ii. i. 106 Mrs Martin made to rise, but Uncle Simon..eased her back into her seat, telling her not to bother herself, he could do it.
2008 N. Dajani Cutting Loose (2009) 175 You couldn't even bother yourself to call.
b. intransitive. To take the time or trouble to do something; (with infinitive or present participle as complement) to take the trouble to do the thing specified. Chiefly in negative constructions. why bother: (used rhetorically) why take the trouble to do something that will bring no benefit. Cf. can't (also cannot) be bothered at Phrases 3.Originally short for to bother oneself: cf. sense A. 3a.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > effort or exertion > exert oneself or make an effort [verb (intransitive)]
tillc897
stightlea1375
stretcha1375
wrestlea1382
to put it forthc1390
to put one's hand(s) to (also unto)a1398
paina1400
takea1400
to do one's busy pain (also care, cure, diligence)?a1430
to make great force?c1450
makec1485
to stir one's stumpsa1500
to bestir one's stumps1549
to make work1574
put1596
bestira1616
operate1650
to lay out1659
to be at pains1709
exerta1749
tew1787
maul1821
to take (the) trouble1830
to pull outc1835
bother1840
trouble1880
to buck up1890
hump1897
to go somea1911
1840 Chambers's Edinb. Jrnl. 21 Mar. 66/1 Masther nor misthress was never ready to the minute; why should they [sc. the servants] bother then?
1867 Harper's Mag. Sept. 472/2 He saw clean faces and pinafores, never bothering to ask how they came so.
1897 Parl. Deb. (Victoria, Austral.) 83 2521 A case in which a creditor had a claim which he never bothered to send in.
1902 E. Wharton Let. 16 May (1988) 64 I am going to send you a line now & then this summer.., but you..mustn't bother to answer.
1945 J. B. Priestley Three Men in New Suits ii. 20 You won't have to dress, though, because he..doesn't bother changing.
1975 Analog Sci. Fiction/Sci. Fact Jan. 77 Besides, they'd just space me for desertion. So why bother.
1994 C. Grant X-Files: Goblins viii. 83 Anyone asked would probably give a different answer, but it no doubt boiled down to, ‘Why bother?’
2011 Independent 15 Apr. 5/5 If drivers know they can mow down riders with impunity, why should they bother to check their mirrors?
4. transitive. colloquial. In mild oaths (chiefly in optative with no subject expressed): expressing annoyance, irritation, or vexation. Now somewhat archaic.
ΚΠ
?1796 Paddy O'Shaughnessy to Sir Dicky Petulant (single sheet) Sing bother 'em all my pure Dicky.
1844 C. Dickens Martin Chuzzlewit xlix. 564 ‘Bother Mrs. Harris!’ said Betsey Prig... ‘I don't believe there's no sich a person!’
1855 W. M. Thackeray Rose & Ring xvi. 106 ‘Bother your album!’ says Bulbo.
1923 Humorist 22 Dec. 545/1 ‘Just look at my shirt.’ ‘Bother your shirt!’ pouted Stella.
1986 G. Baxt Alfred Hitchcock Murder Case (1987) ix. 136 Oh, bother your suppositions.
2013 J. Gray How to tame your Duke v. 53 Bother the bloody spa!
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > deceit, deception, trickery > cheating, fraud > treat fraudulently, cheat [verb (transitive)] > induce by deception > and humbug
fig1692
humbug1761
bother1803
gammon1821
hornswoggle1829
bosh1870
crap1928
1803 J. Bristed Ανθρωπλανομενος I. 101 Cowan..furnished me with sufficient documents to enable me to bother about it, so that I could not easily be detected.
1803 J. Bristed Ανθρωπλανομενος I. 152 As..Cowan..would be less likely to be convicted of some unfortunate blunder..than myself, I desired him to go down and bother them well.
6.
a. transitive. Esp. of an idea, situation, etc.: to worry; to disturb; to upset. Also of a medical complaint: to cause discomfort to.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > state of being upset or perturbed > upset or perturb [verb (transitive)]
to-wendc893
mingeOE
dreveOE
angerc1175
sturb?c1225
worec1225
troublec1230
sturble1303
disturbc1305
movea1325
disturblec1330
drubblea1340
drovec1350
distroublec1369
tempestc1374
outsturba1382
unresta1382
stroublec1384
unquietc1384
conturb1393
mismaya1400
unquemea1400
uneasec1400
discomfita1425
smite?a1425
perturbc1425
pertrouble?1435
inquiet1486
toss1526
alter1529
disquiet1530
turmoil1530
perturbate1533
broil1548
mis-set?1553
shake1567
parbruilyiec1586
agitate1587
roil1590
transpose1594
discompose1603
harrow1609
hurry1611
obturb1623
shog1636
untune1638
alarm1649
disorder1655
begruntlea1670
pother1692
disconcert1695
ruffle1701
tempestuate1702
rough1777
caddle1781
to put out1796
upset1805
discomfort1806
start1821
faze1830
bother1832
to put aback1833
to put about1843
raft1844
queer1845
rattle1865
to turn over1865
untranquillize1874
hack1881
rock1881
to shake up1884
to put off1909
to go (also pass) through a phase1913
to weird out1970
1832 Niles' Weekly Reg. 7 Apr. 92/1 He said that it was a fine speech..but it had bothered him, from the beginning to the ending of it, to find out which side he was on.
1841 Amer. Jrnl. Dental Sci. Dec. 178 The tooth had bothered him (as he expressed it)..very much.
1852 E. Forbes Let. in G. Wilson & A. Geikie Mem. E. Forbes (1861) xiv. 506 A point that has bothered Prestwich, D'Archiac, and Dumont.
1904 M. D. Conway Autobiogr., Mem. & Experiences II. xlix. 396 Alcott I personally liked, but he bothered me with his paganism, as it seemed pedantic.
1970 Boys' Life Dec. 10/3 When he arrived in training camp, the knee bothered him to the point where he was ordered off the ice.
1995 Esquire July 59/1 ‘Does it bother you that you're viewed as a sex object?’ she asked.
2006 N.Y. Times Mag. 8 Jan. 31/1 Now seems as good a time as any to speak on a subject that's been bothering me.
b. transitive. In passive. To mind or care about something; (in weakened use) to think something is important, desirable, etc. Chiefly in negative constructions. Also in simple answers or statements, as I'm (he's, she's, etc.) not bothered (chiefly British): used to indicate that the person in question does not mind, care, etc., about the issue or outcome.
ΚΠ
1890 Frauds upon Post-Office Dept. 31 in U.S. Congress. Serial Set (51st Congr., 1st Sess.: House of Representatives Executive Doc. 463) XXXVII The additional expense is the transportation of the paper?..I am not bothered about that, sir.
1918 Farm Jrnl. June 342/2 ‘I'm not bothered about money,’ he said. ‘It's a question of conduct that's worrying me.’
1940 R. Wright Native Son iii. 339 Bigger was not at that moment really bothered about whether Max's speech had saved his life or not.
1950 P. E. Bentley Quorum ii. i. 17 ‘Are you wanting the night off, Fred?’ ‘Nay, I'm not bothered—a couple of hours..will do me nicely.’
1984 P. Barker Blow your House Down xvi. 119 They weren't all that bothered anyway. Girls like Carol go missing all the time.
1996 Guardian 29 Oct. 5 Really, I'm not bothered... They don't deserve anything our family... They've never helped us.
2001 Observer 18 Mar. (Britain Uncovered Suppl.) 18/2 He's not that bothered about the music, if he's honest, but he's still there at the foot of the stage, moshing with Matthew.
B. int. colloquial.
Also bother it! Used as a mild expletive, expressing annoyance or exasperation: ‘damn’, ‘blast’; cf. botheration int. Also (in earlier use) expressing dismissal (of a statement, idea, etc.): ‘nonsense’, ‘rubbish’.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > suffering > state of annoyance or vexation > exclamation of annoyance [interjection]
peste1768
botheration1787
bother it!1798
for Pete's sake1903
for the love of Pete1903
hell's teeth1909
zut1915
wouldn't it?1940
1798 G. Colman Heir at Law Epil. 60 Oh bother, there's so many virtues here, There won't be any left for me, I fear.
1839 S. Warren in Blackwood's Mag. Dec. 837/1 ‘I can't—I can't eat.’ ‘Oh, bother it, but you shall!’
1841 C. Dickens Old Curiosity Shop i. xxxiii. 281 To this amorous address Miss Brass briefly responded ‘Bother!’
1910 H. G. Wells New Machiavelli iv. iii. 456 When he pointed out to her that the silk she'd got was bloodstained, she just said, ‘Oh, bother!’ and threw it aside.
1921 World Wide Wireless May 22 ‘Bother it,’ he muttered angrily.
2000 F. Moorehead Darkness more Visible i. vii. 66 We expected it to last for ever. Damn and bother!
Phrases
P1. colloquial.
a. to bother one's brains (also brain): to take the time or trouble to consider something; to concern oneself. Chiefly in negative contexts. Frequently with about, with. Cf. to bother one's head at head n.1 Phrases 6b.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > thought > think [verb (intransitive)] > hard
to burst one's brainc1385
to break one's mind (heart)a1450
to break one's brain, mind, wind1530
to beat the brains1579
to rack one's brain (also brains, wit, memory, etc.)1583
hammer1598
beat1604
to cudgel one's brains1604
to bother one's brains (also brain)1755
1755 Connoisseur No. 70. 419 Sir, I beg you would take care, you don't bother your brains..about other peoples affairs.
a1817 J. Austen Northanger Abbey (1818) I. xv. 298 It is not my way to bother my brains with what does not concern me. View more context for this quotation
1878 J. Miller Songs Italy 127 Whether you bother your brain or no.
1907 H. Begbie Penalty xix. 276 Don't bother your brain, my dear lady, to wonder how much I know of your secret.
1925 J. M. Williams Our Rural Heritage xv. 147 To the boy who happened to get interested in geology or astronomy the parent said, ‘Why bother your brains about it?’
2003 Daily Tel. (Nexis) 15 Aug. 24 But, it would seem, few midwives bother their brains with updates.
b. Chiefly Irish English. to bother one's arse (also backside): to be willing to make the required effort; to concern oneself. Chiefly in negative constructions. Frequently with about, with. Cf. can't be arsed at arse v. 3.
ΚΠ
1942 Life & Lett. To-day Aug. 128 The Old Man didn’t want to bother his backside gettin' them for me.
1975 Irish Times 26 May 10/6 A prisoner won't bother his arse complaining, it's a waste of time.
1999 C. Dolan Ascension Day (2000) viii. 161 From what Mother's told me, Isobel didn't bother her backside about Daddy's statements to the press and questions in the House about genteel depravity.
2019 @benegan97 12 Jan. in twitter.com (accessed 10 June 2019) No idea why I bother my arse with Arsenal. Consistently pathetic when they need a win.
P2.
a. to bother the life out of: to harass or annoy continuously or beyond endurance. Similarly to bother (a person's) life out (now archaic and rare).Cf. life n. Phrases 11b.
ΚΠ
1835 Dublin Univ. Mag. Feb. 160/1 Her temper would bother the life out of a Turk.
1899 O. Wilde Importance of being Earnest (1966) ii. 13 I can't dine at the Savoy. I owe them about £700. They are always getting judgments and things against me. They bother my life out.
1903 S. Crane & R. Barr O'Ruddy 351 The money-lenders of London simply bothered the life out of me trying to shovel gold on me.
1937 G. Heyer They found him Dead iv. 83 He woffled a whole lot to me about people bothering his life out.
2007 H. Bernstein Invisible Wall 54 Been in and out, in and out, nearly every day, bothering the life out of me, tapping on that glass counter with his penny.
b. to bother the hell out of a person: see to —— (the) hell out of at hell n. and int. Phrases 5e.
P3. can't (also cannot) be bothered.
a. Used to describe a person who is disinclined or unwilling to make the effort needed to do or engage in something.
(a) With complement specifying a task or action.
ΚΠ
1842 Saturday Mag. 1 Oct. 133/1 We can't do it at all, we can't be bothered.
1847 Latter-day Saints' Millennial Star 1 Aug. 240 The poor cannot be bothered to teach work to babies.
1880 London Society Jan. 44/2 What would they think of a man who said he was very fond of hunting, but who couldn't be bothered about learning to ride?
1933 N. Amer. Rev. July 57/2 I certainly can't be bothered watching you boys this morning.
1985 Courier-Mail (Brisbane) (Nexis) 18 Apr. I can't be bothered to cook just for myself.
2004 Vancouver Sun (Nexis) 4 Oct. b1 If people can't be bothered to vote, why should the system be changed?
(b) Without complement, indicating general unwillingness or laziness.
ΚΠ
1902 A. Shepherd Gospel & Social Questions iii. 57 We cannot be bothered.
1941 Austral. Q. Dec. 35 It [sc. music] is the art of the generation that cannot be bothered.
1977 Washington Post 14 Aug. f4 A child of wealth and privilege whose parents just can't be bothered.
2010 Leicester Mercury (Nexis) 19 Mar. 15 We live in a country of ever-lowering standards, where increasingly people can't be bothered.
b. With with (also by). Used to describe a person who regards something specified as unimportant, uninteresting, or irrelevant.
ΚΠ
1877 Fraser's Mag. Aug. 272/2 We cannot be bothered with him: we have done with him.
1889 G. Atherton Hermia Suydam ii. 17 I cannot be bothered with children.
1911 N. Amer. Rev. July 121 I can't be bothered with theory.
1985 Globe & Mail (Toronto) (Nexis) 18 Apr. Some people can't be bothered with chic.
2002 New Eng. Rev. 23 50 But I can't be bothered by what you think.
2010 Santa Fe New Mexican (Nexis) 30 May b1 You certainly can't be bothered with the facts.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2016; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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n.1761
adj.c1175
v.int.?1718