bother1 verbbother2 nounbother3 interjection
botherboth‧er1 /ˈbɒðə $ ˈbɑːðər/ ●●● S1 W3 verb 
WORD ORIGINbother1
Origin:
1600-1700 Perhaps from Irish Gaelic bodhar ‘deaf, bothered’VERB TABLE
bother
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | bother |
| he, she, it | bothers | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | bothered |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have bothered |
| he, she, it | has bothered | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had bothered |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will bother |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have bothered |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am bothering |
| he, she, it | is bothering | |
| you, we, they | are bothering | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was bothering |
| you, we, they | were bothering | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been bothering |
| he, she, it | has been bothering | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been bothering |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be bothering |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been bothering |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- "Why didn't you ask me for help?" "I didn't want to bother you."
- Actually, my back hasn't been bothering me.
- Excuse me, Miss, is that man bothering you?
- Something's bothering him but I'm not sure what.
- Sorry to bother you, but could you help me one more time with the copier?
- The only thing that bothers me is how I'm going to get from the station to the farm.
- What bothers me is that you didn't feel you could talk to me or your father about it.
- Will it bother you if I play some music?
- Will you stop bothering me? I'm trying to watch a program.
- You shouldn't let little things like that bother you.
- And it was then she finally asked me a question that has bothered her for twenty years.
- Because employers do not bother, the papers can be produced cheaply, so more illegal immigrants come in.
- I have challenged the prospective Labour candidate in Harrow, West to do so, but he has not bothered to reply.
- Irate customers who bother to complain to their local water executives will be told the rises are no higher than were forecast.
- Just because you live alone does not mean that you should not bother.
- None of which may initially bother the Western Koi-keeper, whose main concern is to provide good water quality for his fish.
- You don't hand your homework in on time, or you don't even bother to do it.
- You know the story by heart.-Then why did you bother in the first place?
THESAURUSwhen someone is doing something
[intransitive, transitive] to stop someone from continuing to do something: · Miss Danziger apologised for interrupting their enjoyment of their meal.· My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell.· His interview was interrupted by a call from the president.
to interrupt someone when they are trying to work, sleep etc: · The sign on the door said ‘Do not disturb. Meeting in progress’.· I hope I’m not disturbing you. Do you want me to come back later?· Her sleep was disturbed by a violent hammering on the door.
to interrupt someone, especially by asking questions when they are trying to do something else: · ‘I’m very sorry to bother you,’ Jackson said smoothly, ‘but I’d like a few minutes of your time.’· You mustn’t bother him - he’s working on his essay.
Longman Language Activatorto disturb someone so that they cannot continue what they are doing to stop someone when they are working, talking, or having a meeting, especially because you want to ask a question or tell them something: · Sorry to disturb you, but could I ask a quick question?· Try not to disturb your dad - he's working.· Before closing the door to his office, he told his secretary that he was not to be disturbed.
to stop someone when they are working, talking, or having a meeting, especially because you want to ask them a question or tell them something: · Don't interrupt - I haven't finished yet.· I'm sorry to interrupt your meeting, but may I speak with Michael for a moment?· While I was giving my report, some guy in the back kept interrupting me every two minutes.
to disturb someone who is doing something, especially in a way that is annoying: · Will you stop bothering me? I'm trying to watch a program.· Sorry to bother you, but could you help me one more time with the copier?· Don't bother Ellen while she's reading.
to stop someone who is trying to work, study, or read, by making them look at or listen to something else: · Don't distract your father while he's driving.· The couple behind us kept distracting everyone by talking during the movie.· I was distracted by the sound of a car alarm in the street.
British to make it difficult for someone to do something, by preventing them from paying attention and thinking clearly about what they are doing: · Seles couldn't concentrate on the game - the photographers were putting her off.
to disturb someone so that they forget what they were thinking about: · The phone rang, breaking my train of thought.· I sat very still, not wanting to break her train of thought.
to not do something because it does not seem important especially spoken to not do something because you do not think it is important or necessary, or because you want to do something else: · "Shall I come get you at the station?" "Don't bother - I can walk."not bother to do something: · Most people don't bother to make a will while they're still young.· I don't even bother to open most of the junk mail I get.
British to decide not to do something that you had planned to do, for example because you are too tired: · I think I'll give my exercise class a miss tonight - I'm worn out.· "Do you want to come to the cinema?" "No thanks, I'll give it a miss this time."
to not do something that you usually do or that you should do, especially because you would prefer to do something else: · Bill likes to leave work early, so he skips lunch sometimes.· The weather's so nice today - let's skip class and go to the beach.
when you do not care because you will be happy whatever happens British /don't care American to not care because you will be happy with whatever happens or with whatever someone decides: · "What would you like to do tonight?" "I don't mind. You decide."· "Do you want white bread or wheat?" "I don't care. Either one is fine."don't mind where/what/how etc: · Honestly, I don't mind whether Linda comes with us or not.· They won't care if we're a few minutes late.
especially British, spoken to not care what happens or what is decided, especially when someone has asked you what you would prefer: · "Do you want to sit in the front seat or the back?'' "I'm not fussy.''be not fussy where/what/which etc: · I'm not fussy where I stay, as long as it's cheap.be not fussy about: · She's not fussy about what kind of car she drives.· He's not very fussy about his appearance, is he?
spoken say this when you do not mind what happens because it does not affect you or cause you any problems: · You can come on Thursday or Friday -- it makes no difference to me.· We can go out to eat if you want - it's all the same to me.· Mamet says it makes no difference to him what a movie costs, as long as it's a good movie.
spoken informal say this when someone asks you which one of two things you would prefer, and you want to tell them that you do not mind what is decided: · "Do you want to watch the news or the late night film?'' "I'm easy.''
spoken say this when you do not care what someone else does because it does not affect you in any way: · It's no skin off our nose if they don't want to come along.· If my sister wants to throw her money away, then fine. It's no skin off my nose.
spoken say this when someone has told you what they are going to do, and even though you do not think it is a good idea, you do not care whether they do it or not: · "I think I'll just stay home tonight." "Suit yourself."· "Do you mind if I sit here?'' "Suit yourself,'' she said, without looking up.
to make someone feel worried · The changes in the Earth's climate began to worry some scientists.· "Why didn't you tell me?" "I didn't want to worry you."it worries somebody that · Doesn't it worry you that Stephen spends so much time away from home?what worries somebody is · What worries me is the difference in age between Rosie and her boyfriend.· One thing that worried me was that information had been leaked to the press.
if a problem troubles you, it makes you feel worried because you do not know what to do about it: · You must talk to your daughter and find out what's troubling her.· The incident troubled me -- it wasn't like Sarah to be so secretive.be troubled by something: · She is troubled by the fact that her son already shows signs of inheriting his father's mental problems.
if someone else's problems, health, safety etc concern you, you worry about them because you think they are important, even when they may not affect you personally: · Kate's behaviour at school is starting to concern her parents.it concerns somebody that: · It concerns me that some tutors are meeting with students outside college hours.what concerns somebody is: · What concerns me most is that despite pay increases, production has not improved.
if something bothers you, it slightly worries you - use this especially about problems that do not seem serious: · The only thing that bothers me is how I'm going to get from the station to the farm.· You shouldn't let little things like that bother you.what bothers somebody is: · What bothers me is that you didn't feel you could talk to me or your father about it.
also give somebody cause for concern if something that is happening causes concern or is a cause for concern , it makes someone, especially someone in an official position, feel worried, because it is unsatisfactory or possibly dangerous - used especially in official situations: · We have to inform you that your son's behaviour has been causing concern for some time now.· Two dozen cases of water poisoning in the space of a week certainly is a cause for concern, and we shall be taking action.· The Secretary General said that the recent developments are giving him cause for concern.cause somebody concern: · Your husband has almost recovered -- the only thing that's still causing us concern is his high blood pressure.cause concern among: · The decision has caused concern among human rights groups.
if a problem or something bad that has happened preys on your mind , it worries you continuously even though you do not want to think about it: · It was starting to prey on my mind so much that I went to the hospital.· The old woman's warning preyed on Mary's mind as she continued her journey.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
‘Do you want me to wait for you?’ ‘No, don’t bother.’ Why bother to go abroad, when there are so many nice places here? It didn’t seem worth bothering the doctor about.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES I’ll get a taxi from the station to save you the trouble of coming to collect me. Sorry to bother you, but what was the address again? I’ve been having a spot of bother (=some problems) with my car.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
‘Do you want me to wait for you?’ ‘No, don’t bother.’ Why bother to go abroad, when there are so many nice places here? It didn’t seem worth bothering the doctor about. I’ll get a taxi from the station to save you the trouble of coming to collect me. Sorry to bother you, but what was the address again? I’ve been having a spot of bother (=some problems) with my car.· Owen began to hope that they viewed the incident as too small to bother about.· These really are environmental concerns worth bothering about.· Aunt Tossie was deep in talk with a friend she hadn't bothered about for years.· No one's bothered about the Council any more!· She said she had no close relations to bother about on her husband's side and only the Evans on hers.· After dinner, nothing seemed worth bothering about.· In any case I wasn't bothered about it one way or the other.· They feel nothing they do is important enough for their parents to bother about.
· Don't even bother to phone.· We never even bothered to sleep.· Many men simply assume that women are on the Pill and don't even bother to ask.· We might not even bother to vote.· The reviewer hadn't even bothered to check on basic personal details.· Why even bother consummating that which was destined to be a failed romance?· Papers abroad realised they just could not match us - and didn't even bother to try.· She didn't even bother to move the bike.
· We mustn't ever bother with that.· I never did see the point in Las Vegas and no one ever bothered to explain it to me.· Have you ever bothered to ask?· Only fifty or so students ever bothered to graduate.· If you could surf who would ever bother writing?· Because the signs had been there all the time if she'd ever bothered to look further than his surface charm.· Since when were you ever bothered about my feelings?· That'd be the reason, though nobody had ever bothered to inform him.
· They never bothered that we were just spectating-we were driving a bright red Carrera 911 with a great exhaust note!· It was like that all over the WestBrakemen never bothered you in those days.· The many tracks through the woods make it easy to get lost - but that's never bothered me.· He was never bothered by wild animals, either.· Of all the people I have met on my travels only one had never bothered with it.· After that, he never bothered her.· Men, their height, their masculine authority, never bothered Maggie.· I never bother lying to Arthur.
· Kerry says it wouldn't really bother her.· And what really bothers me now is to see our son drifting away from us.· But they didn't really bother.· And so you really bother your head a great deal over the Galactic Spirit, do you?· Let me tell you what really bothers me about that brigand more than his plagiarizing.· I betook myself to bed in some exasperation, and without really bothering to get undressed.· What really bothered me about the letter were his personal remarks about Tom.
· There was the usual sniping, but no one seemed to be bothering too much.· And he certainly isn't too bothered whether that water is in a proper paddling pool or a washing-up bowl!· Half the teachers in the school think say me a half-breed so they don't too bother me.· Jess saw him coming, but was too bothered by the scrape she and Midnight were in to take any notice.· For his part, he wasn't too bothered.
· Why bother having an outside bell if the delicious Private Boyd was sitting on reception?· Such problems in expressing the insight arising out of experience cause some people to ask: Why bother?· Why bother with the news now?· As anyone who hasn't been in a coma for the last ten years knows as much anyway, why bother?· Until we do, why bother about banning plays?· Many companies are worried by the worker-participation clauses: if they are really so flexible, why bother with them at all?· If paper does not rot, why bother to substitute it for plastic?· Why bother with all that effort, when a meaning can be found fairly easily and obviously?
VERB· Don't let him bother you.· We were too busy admiring the town to let their griping bother us.· Lois wondered now why she ever let these things bother her.
· They didn't seem to be very bothered about issues other than what was going on in the village itself.· None of this seems to bother him.· But what is striking now is that neither side seems bothered about disguising those differences.· The simplicity of his cuisine did not seem to bother him, but I felt sad for him.· After dinner, nothing seemed worth bothering about.· All the same he seemed popular backstage and the girls liked him, but he didn't seem to bother much about them.· Numbers don't seem to bother him.· Oddly, they did not seem to bother the horses.
· They did not want to be bothered with her joys and despairs and she did not want to be bothered with theirs.· The companies we dealt with didn't want to be bothered with small orders from small shops any more.· It's inedible, but who would want to bother anyway, since they are at most two inches high!· She didn't want you bothered.· Who wants to bother with hot, sticky socks or stockings when the sun is beating down?· Some home managers or owners say they don't want to bother residents with this sort of thing.
· I parted some grass and wondered why Cawthorne had bothered to run electric and telephone cables to a disused toilet for farmhands.· Such noises made Wyatt wonder if Cyril bothered to use the clutch at all or had resolved somehow to do without it.· If you have a weak stomach you may wonder why you bothered to come at all.· I was left to wonder why I bothered to be born. 19.· He wondered why she bothered to come back at all.· They wondered why Dov Kalmenzohn bothered with me.· For an instant, he wondered why he bothered.· If Serif had shared your opinion about PagePlus 1.2, you might wonder why they bothered to produce a version 2 at all.
PHRASES FROM THE ENTRY► not bother yourself/not bother your head► somebody can’t/couldn’t be bothered (to do something)PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
1make an effort [intransitive, transitive usually in questions and negatives] to make the effort to do something(not) bother to do something- But nobody bothered them when they returned to the white salon.
- But she always hurried on, not to bother them, not to get in their way.
- Cold, as a rule, doesn't bother them but they will not tolerate prolonged wetness, particularly during the winter.
- Each situation is then rated on a five point scale according to whether it just bothers them a little or makes them really angry.
- Help the girls you love learn to deal with the emotions that frighten or bother them.
- If not, he added, why bother it?
- The fact that outsiders find them contradictory and paradoxical does not bother them a bit.
- The goats grew nice and fat, and the troll never bothered them again.
- Art, it's Lisa again - sorry to keep bothering you.
- I am sorry to bother you with this news but I think it is for the best.
- I sit, all hot and bothered, suffering, and mention this.
- It was too unsettling, made her feel too hot and bothered.
- Not everyone, however, is hot and bothered.
- She had got herself all hot and bothered and she felt much safer in the water than she had in the barn.
He didn’t bother to answer the question.not bother about/with He didn’t bother with a reply.(not) bother doing something Many young people didn’t bother voting.don’t/didn’t/won’t etc bother ‘Do you want me to wait for you?’ ‘No, don’t bother.’ Why bother to go abroad, when there are so many nice places here?2worry [intransitive, transitive] to make someone feel slightly worried, upset, or concerned: Being in a crowd really bothers me. It was very noisy, but that didn’t bother me.bother about especially British English I try not to bother about what other people think.it bothers somebody that/how/when It really bothered me that he’d forgotten my birthday.3annoy [intransitive, transitive] to annoy someone, especially by interrupting them when they are trying to do something: Danny, don’t bother Ellen while she’s reading. Would it bother you if I put on some music?bother somebody about/with something It didn’t seem worth bothering the doctor about.4somebody can’t/couldn’t be bothered (to do something) especially British English used to say that you do not want to make the effort to do something, or that you are not interested in doing something: It was so hot I couldn’t be bothered to cook. I should be revising, but I just can’t be bothered.5cause pain [transitive] if a part of your body bothers you, it is slightly painful or uncomfortable: My back’s been bothering me.6sorry to bother you spoken used as a very polite way of interrupting someone when you want their attention: Sorry to bother you, but Mr. Grey is on the line.7frighten [transitive] to upset or frighten someone by talking to them when they do not want to talk to you, trying to hurt them, touch them sexually etc: Don’t worry – my dog won’t bother you. If he starts bothering you, let me know.8not bother yourself/not bother your head to not spend time or effort on something, either because it is not important or because it is too difficultbother with/about Cliff didn’t want to bother himself with details.9bother it/them etc British English spoken old-fashioned used to express a sudden feeling of annoyance about something: Oh bother it! The thread’s broken again!bother1 verbbother2 nounbother3 interjection
botherbother2 noun EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- I can pick up a letter there without any bother.
- It was enough bother having to share my mum and my dad.
- It was not so much that she distrusted banks as the bother for the visit.
- New husbands could be a bother sometimes.
- Still keeps all the lights out at night in case the bother starts again.
- Unfortunately the bits in between are hard work and ultimately are not really worth the bother.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY ‘Thanks for your help.’ ‘It was no bother (=used to emphasize that you were happy to help someone) at all.’ My mother hardly ever went to the bother of (=the effort of) making cakes. Are you sure the station is on your way? I don’t want to give you any extra bother. I should have phoned the shop first and saved myself the bother of going there. I’ll get a taxi from the station to save you the trouble of coming to collect me. Sorry to bother you, but what was the address again? I’ve been having a spot of bother (=some problems) with my car.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSVERB
‘Thanks for your help.’ ‘It was no bother (=used to emphasize that you were happy to help someone) at all.’ My mother hardly ever went to the bother of (=the effort of) making cakes. Are you sure the station is on your way? I don’t want to give you any extra bother. I should have phoned the shop first and saved myself the bother of going there. (=it is too difficult to be worth doing)
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES I’ll get a taxi from the station to save you the trouble of coming to collect me. Sorry to bother you, but what was the address again? I’ve been having a spot of bother (=some problems) with my car.· So choose electric storage heating and save time, bother, and expense.· Because there was neither carriage nor honeymoon Harry was saved the bother of providing sacks of rose-petal confetti.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
1[uncountable] especially British English trouble or difficulty that has been caused by small problems and that usually only continues for a short time SYN trouble: - I sit, all hot and bothered, suffering, and mention this.
- It was too unsettling, made her feel too hot and bothered.
- Not everyone, however, is hot and bothered.
- She had got herself all hot and bothered and she felt much safer in the water than she had in the barn.
It’s an old car, but it’s never caused me any bother.bother with Joe’s been having a bit of bother with his back again. ‘Thanks for your help.’ ‘It was no bother (=used to emphasize that you were happy to help someone) at all.’ My mother hardly ever went to the bother of (=the effort of) making cakes. Are you sure the station is on your way? I don’t want to give you any extra bother. I should have phoned the shop first and saved myself the bother of going there.something is more bother than it’s worth (=it is too difficult to be worth doing)2a bother especially British English a person or job that slightly annoys you by causing trouble or problems: I hate to be a bother, but could you show me how the copier works?bother1 verbbother2 nounbother3 interjection
botherbother3 interjection British English informal COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES I’ll get a taxi from the station to save you the trouble of coming to collect me. Sorry to bother you, but what was the address again? I’ve been having a spot of bother (=some problems) with my car.
I’ll get a taxi from the station to save you the trouble of coming to collect me. Sorry to bother you, but what was the address again? I’ve been having a spot of bother (=some problems) with my car.PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
used when you are slightly annoyed: - I sit, all hot and bothered, suffering, and mention this.
- It was too unsettling, made her feel too hot and bothered.
- Not everyone, however, is hot and bothered.
- She had got herself all hot and bothered and she felt much safer in the water than she had in the barn.
Oh bother! I forgot to phone Jean.