verb
bother
BO-thuh
verb
1
To annoy or disturb someone, or to cause them trouble.
"The noise from the construction site bothered the neighbors all week."
"Don't let his comments bother you — he doesn't mean anything by it."
2
To take the trouble to do something, especially when it might be seen as unnecessary.
"He didn't even bother to reply to the email."
noun
1
A minor annoyance, fuss, or inconvenience.
"It's no bother at all to give you a lift home."
intj
1
A mild exclamation of annoyance.
"Bother! I left my keys at the office again."
How to Use Bother
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo annoy someone, or to take the trouble to do something — also used as a mild swear-substitute exclamation, especially in British English.
UK vs US
"Bother!" as a stand-alone exclamation of annoyance is distinctly British and now sounds a little old-fashioned; American speakers would more likely say "darn" or "ugh."
Common pairings
can't be bothered
bother to do something
no bother
Word Forms
bothered past tense, bothers plural, bothers singular
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The noise from the construction site _____ the neighbors all week.
Etymology
Borrowed from Scots bauther/bather, of uncertain ultimate origin, possibly related to old words for making a commotion or fuss.