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both·er

bother

 
 
pronunciation:
ba thr
parts of speech:
transitive verb, intransitive verb, noun
features:
Word Combinations (verb, noun), Word Explorer, Grammatical Patterns
part of speech: transitive verb
inflections: bothers, bothering, bothered
definition 1: to annoy or irritate, usu. with something minor.
She practices the piano during the afternoons when it doesn't bother anyone.
synonyms:
aggravate, annoy, bug, hassle, nettle, peeve, trouble, vex, worry
similar words:
badger, eat, exasperate, fuss, gripe, harass, hound, irk, irritate, nag, needle, persecute, pester, pick on, plague, provoke, rile, roil
definition 2: to make puzzled, worried, or disturbed.
His answer bothers me because it just doesn't make sense.It bothers me when he's in a strange mood like this.[it + verb + smby + when + clause ] It bothered him to see his mother flirting with the guests.[it + verb + smby + infinitive ] It really bothers me that she stopped taking her pills.[it + verb + smby + that + clause ] Doesn't it bother you that what you're doing is illegal?[it + verb + smby + that + clause ]
synonyms:
concern, confuse, disturb, puzzle, trouble, vex, worry
similar words:
baffle, befuddle, confound, fret, nag, perplex, perturb, pother
definition 3: to disturb or interrupt.
I'm sorry to bother you, but there is an urgent call for you.
synonyms:
annoy, disturb, interrupt, trouble
similar words:
bug, discommode, eat, hassle, impose, worry
 
part of speech: intransitive verb
definition 1: to make an effort; inconvenience oneself.
He rarely bothers to clean up his room.[verb + infinitive ] I was surprised that he bothered to bring some flowers.[verb + infinitive ] I'm not going to bother calling her when I know she's not there.[verb + gerund ] I clean the floors, but I never bother with the dusting.Thank you for offering to make the bed, but please don't bother.
synonyms:
trouble
similar words:
condescend, deign, endeavor
definition 2: to feel concern or slight worry (usu. used with negative verb).
Please don't bother about me; I can easily walk from here.
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part of speech: noun
definition 1: a person or thing that is troublesome or annoying.
He used to find his little sister a bother, but now he enjoys spending time with her.These kinds of customer complaints are a real bother for the owner.It's too much of a bother for her to respond to all those emails.
synonyms:
annoyance, chafe, headache, nuisance, peeve, pest, plague, trouble, vexation, worry
similar words:
bugaboo, concern, difficulty, gadfly, hassle, imposition, inconvenience, matter, pain, perplexity, problem, thorn, trial, upset
definition 2: a worried or confused state.
Her mother was all in a bother about the wedding invitations.
synonyms:
anxiety, confusion, fret, sweat, tizzy, twitter, upset, vexation
similar words:
botheration, concern, dither, exasperation, flutter, lather, state, worry
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