trouble Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a source of difficulty
    problem.
    • one trouble after another delayed the job
    • what's the problem?
  2. noun an angry disturbance
    bother; hassle; fuss.
    • he didn't want to make a fuss
    • they had labor trouble
    • a spot of bother
  3. noun an event causing distress or pain
    • what is the trouble?
    • heart trouble
  4. noun an effort that is inconvenient
    difficulty.
    • I went to a lot of trouble
    • he won without any trouble
    • had difficulty walking
    • finished the test only with great difficulty
  5. noun a strong feeling of anxiety
    worry.
    • his worry over the prospect of being fired
    • it is not work but worry that kills
    • he wanted to die and end his troubles
  6. noun an unwanted pregnancy
    • he got several girls in trouble
  7. verb move deeply
    disturb; upset.
    • This book upset me
    • A troubling thought
  8. verb to cause inconvenience or discomfort to
    disoblige; bother; inconvenience; incommode; discommode; put out.
    • Sorry to trouble you, but...
  9. verb disturb in mind or make uneasy or cause to be worried or alarmed
    perturb; disquiet; distract; cark; disorder; unhinge.
    • She was rather perturbed by the news that her father was seriously ill
  10. verb take the trouble to do something; concern oneself
    bother; inconvenience oneself; trouble oneself.
    • He did not trouble to call his mother on her birthday
    • Don't bother, please
  11. verb cause bodily suffering to and make sick or indisposed
    ail; pain.

WordNet

Trou"ble transitive verb
Etymology
F. troubler, OF. trobler, trubler, tourbler,fr. (assumed) LL. turbulare, L. turbare to disorderly group, a little crowd; both from turba a disorder, tumult, crowd; akin to Gr. , and perhaps to E. thorp; cf. Skr. tvar, tur,o hasten. Cf. Turbid.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Troubled ; present participle & verbal noun Troubling
Definitions
  1. To put into confused motion; to disturb; to agitate.
    An angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water. John v. 4.
    God looking forth will trouble all his host. Milton.
  2. To disturb; to perplex; to afflict; to distress; to grieve; to fret; to annoy; to vex.
    Now is my soul troubled. John xii. 27.
    Take the boy to you; he so troubles me 'T is past enduring. Shak.
    Never trouble yourself about those faults which age will cure. Locke.
  3. To give occasion for labor to; -- used in polite phraseology; as, I will not trouble you to deliver the letter. Syn. -- To disturb; perplex; afflict; distress; grieve; harass; annoy; tease; vex; molest.
Trou"ble adjective
Definitions
  1. Troubled; dark; gloomy. Obs. "With full trouble cheer." Chaucer.
Trou"ble noun
Etymology
F. trouble, OF. troble, truble. See Trouble, v. t.
Definitions
  1. The state of being troubled; disturbance; agitation; uneasiness; vexation; calamity.
    Lest the fiend . . . some new trouble raise. Milton.
    Foul whisperings are abroad; unnatural deeds Do breed unnatural troubles. Shak.
  2. That which gives disturbance, annoyance, or vexation; that which afflicts.
  3. (Mining) A fault or interruption in a stratum. Syn. -- Affliction; disturbance; perplexity; annoyance; molestation; vexation; inconvenience; calamity; misfortune; adversity; embarrassment; anxiety; sorrow; misery.

Webster 1913