Trouble
Origin
Verb is from Middle English troublen, trublen, turblen, troble, from Old French troubler, trobler, trubler, metethetic variants of Old French tourbler, torbler, turbler, from Medieval Latin *turbulÄre, from Latin turbula ("disorderly group, a little crowd or people"), diminutive of turba ("stir, crowd"). The noun is from Middle English truble, troble, from Old French troble, from the verb.
Full definition of trouble
Noun
trouble
(plural troubles)- A distressful or dangerous situation.He was in trouble when the rain started.
- A difficulty, problem, condition, or action contributing to such a situation.
- John MiltonLest the fiend ... some new trouble raise.
- William ShakespeareFoul whisperings are abroad; unnatural deeds
Do breed unnatural troubles. - The trouble was a leaking brake line. The trouble with that suggestion is that we lack the funds to put it in motion. The bridge column magnified the trouble with a slight tilt in the wrong direction.
- A violent occurrence or event.
- 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, Mr. Pratt's Patients Chapter 7, “I don't know how you and the ‘head,’ as you call him, will get on, but I do know that if you call my duds a ‘livery’ again there'll be trouble. It's bad enough to go around togged out like a life saver on a drill day, but I can stand that 'cause I'm paid for it. What I won't stand is to have them togs called a livery. …â€
- the troubles in Northern Ireland
- Efforts taken or expended, typically beyond the normal required.
- BryantShe never took the trouble to close them.
- 1881, , :Indeed, by the report of our elders, this nervous preparation for old age is only trouble thrown away.
- It's no trouble for me to edit it.
- A malfunction.He's been in hospital with some heart trouble. My old car has engine trouble.
- Liability to punishment; conflict with authority.He had some trouble with the law.
- (mining) A fault or interruption in a stratum.
Usage notes
Verbs often used with "trouble": make, spell, stir up, ask for, etc.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Verb
- (transitive, now rare) To disturb, stir up, agitate (a medium, especially water).
- Bible, John v. 4An angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water.
- MiltonGod looking forth will trouble all his host.
- (transitive) To mentally distress; to cause (someone) to be anxious or perplexed.
- Bible, John xii. 27Now is my soul troubled.
- ShakespeareTake the boy to you; he so troubles me
'Tis past enduring. - John LockeNever trouble yourself about those faults which age will cure.
- (transitive) In weaker sense: to bother; to annoy, pester.Question 3 in the test is troubling me.I will not trouble you to deliver the letter.
- (reflexive or intransitive) To take pains to do something.
- 1946, Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, I.26:Why trouble about the future? It is wholly uncertain.