trouble

I. verb (troubled; troubling) Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French trubler, from Vulgar Latin *turbulare, from *turbulus agitated, alteration of Latin turbulentus — more at turbulent Date: 13th century transitive verb 1. a. to agitate mentally or spiritually ; worry, disturb b. (1) archaic mistreat, oppress (2) to produce physical disorder in ; afflict <

troubled by a cold

> c. to put to exertion or inconvenience <

I'm sorry to trouble you

> 2. to put into confused motion <

the wind troubled the sea

> intransitive verb 1. to become mentally agitated ; worry <

refused to trouble over trifles

> 2. to make an effort ; be at pains <

did not trouble to come

> • troubler noun II. noun Date: 13th century 1. the quality or state of being troubled especially mentally 2. public unrest or disturbance <

there's trouble brewing downtown

> 3. an instance of trouble <

used to disguise her frustrations and despair by making light of her troubles — Current Biography

> 4. a state or condition of distress, annoyance, or difficulty <

in trouble with the law

> <

heading for trouble

> <

got into financial trouble

>: as a. a condition of physical distress or ill health ; ailment <

back trouble

> <

heart trouble

> b. a condition of mechanical malfunction <

engine trouble

> c. a condition of doing something badly or only with great difficulty <

has trouble reading

> <

has trouble breathing

> d. pregnancy out of wedlock <

got a girl in trouble

> 5. an effort made ; pains <

took the trouble to do it right

> 6. a. a cause of distress, annoyance, or inconvenience <

don't mean to be any trouble

> <

what's the trouble?

> b. a negative feature ; drawback <

the trouble with you is you're too honest

> <

the main trouble with electronic systems is the overreliance on them — John Perham

> c. the unhappy or sad fact <

the trouble is, I need the money

>