- bother
- [[t]bɒ̱ðə(r)[/t]]
♦♦♦bothers, bothering, bothered1) VERB: with brd-neg If you do not bother to do something or if you do not bother with it, you do not do it, consider it, or use it because you think it is unnecessary or because you are too lazy.
[V to-inf] Lots of people don't bother to go through a marriage ceremony these days...
[V -ing] Most of the papers didn't even bother reporting it...
Nothing I do makes any difference anyway, so why bother?
[V with/about n] ...and he does not bother with a helmet either.
2) N-UNCOUNT: also a N Bother means trouble or difficulty. You can also use bother to refer to an activity which causes this, especially when you would prefer not to do it or get involved with it.I usually buy sliced bread - it's less bother...
The courts take too long and going to the police is a bother...
Most men hate the bother of shaving.
Syn:3) N-UNCOUNT (vagueness) You use bother to refer to serious trouble, usually when you want to make it sound less serious than it really is. [BRIT, INFORMAL]Vince is having a spot of bother with the law.
4) V-ERG If something bothers you, or if you bother about it, it worries, annoys, or upsets you.[V n] Is something bothering you?...
[V n] That kind of jealousy doesn't bother me...
[it V n that/when] It bothered me that boys weren't interested in me...
[V about n] Never bother about people's opinions. [Also it V n to-inf]
Derived words:bothered ADJ-GRADED v-link ADJ, oft ADJ about nI was bothered about the blister on my hand...
I'm not bothered if he has another child.
5) VERB If someone bothers you, they talk to you when you want to be left alone or interrupt you when you are busy.[V n] We are playing a trick on a man who keeps bothering me...
[V n with/about n] I don't know why he bothers me with this kind of rubbish.
6) EXCLAM (feelings) Some people say `bother' or `bother it' when they are annoyed about something. [mainly BRIT, OLD-FASHIONED]Syn:drat7) PHRASE: V inflects, usu PHR to-inf If you say that you can't be bothered to do something, you mean that you are not going to do it because you think it is unnecessary or because you are too lazy.I just can't be bothered to look after the house...
Doctors cannot be bothered to explain what they do.
8) CONVENTION (emphasis) If you say `it's no bother' after offering to do something for someone, you are emphasizing that you really want to do it and that it will take very little effort.I'll drive you back to your hotel later. It's no bother.
English dictionary. 2008.
