Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense troubles, present participle troubling, past tense, past participle troubled
1. uncountable noun [oft inNOUN]
You can refer to problems or difficulties as trouble.
I had trouble parking.
You've caused us a lot of trouble.
The plane developed engine trouble soon after taking off.
The crew are in serious trouble in 50-knot winds and huge seas.
The Sullivans continued to have financial troubles.
Synonyms: bother, problems, concern, worry More Synonyms of trouble
2. singular noun
If you say that one aspect of a situation is thetrouble, you mean that it is the aspect which is causing problems or making the situationunsatisfactory.
The trouble is that these restrictions have remained while other things have changed.
Your trouble is that you can't take rejection.
Synonyms: shortcoming, problem, failing, fault More Synonyms of trouble
3. plural noun [usually poss NOUN]
Your troubles are the things that you are worried about.
She tells me her troubles. I tell her mine.
She kept her troubles to herself.
Synonyms: distress, problem, suffering, worry More Synonyms of trouble
4. uncountable noun [noun NOUN]
If you have kidney trouble or back trouble, for example, there is something wrong with your kidneys or your back.
An unsuitable bed is the most likely cause of back trouble.
Simon had never before had any heart trouble.
He began to have trouble with his right knee. [+ with]
Synonyms: ailment, disease, failure, complaint More Synonyms of trouble
5. uncountable noun
If there is trouble somewhere, especially in a public place, there is fighting or rioting there.
Riot police are being deployed throughout the city to prevent any trouble.
Fans who make trouble during the match will be severely dealt with.
Police sources admitted that the potential for trouble on the streets remained high.
Synonyms: disorder, fighting, row, conflict More Synonyms of trouble
6. uncountable noun [oft NOUN to-infinitive]
If you tell someone that it is notrouble to do something for them, you are saying politely that you can or will do it, because it is easy or convenient for you.
[politeness]
It's no trouble at all; on the contrary, it will be a great pleasure to help you.
Will it be any trouble to get over here that quickly?
7. uncountable noun
If you say that a person or animal is notrouble, you mean that they are very easy to look after.
My little grandson is no trouble at all, but his 6-year-old elder sister is rudeand selfish.
Synonyms: problem, bother, concern, pest More Synonyms of trouble
8. verb
If something troubles you, it makes you feel rather worried.
Is anything troubling you? [VERB noun]
He was troubled by the lifestyle of his son. [beVERB-ed]
Synonyms: bother, worry, upset, disturb More Synonyms of trouble
troublingadjective
But most troubling of all was the simple fact that nobody knew what was going on.
9. verb
If a part of your body troubles you, it causes you physical pain or discomfort.
The ulcer had been troubling her for several years. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: afflict, hurt, bother, cause discomfort to More Synonyms of trouble
10. verb
If you say that someone does nottroubleto do something, you are critical of them because they do not behave in the way that they should do, and you think that this would require very little effort.
[disapproval]
He yawns, not troubling to cover his mouth. [VERB to-infinitive]
He hadn't troubled himself to check his mirrors. [VERB pronoun-reflexive to-infinitive]
He seemed to be a naturally solitary person, troubling himself about only a few friends. [V pron-refl about/with n]
Synonyms: take pains, take the time, make an effort, go to the effort of More Synonyms of trouble
11. verb
You use trouble in expressions such as I'm sorry to trouble you when you are apologizing to someone for disturbing them in order to ask them something.
[formulae]
I'm sorry to trouble you, but I wondered if by any chance you know where he is. [VERB noun]
I hate to trouble you, but Aunt Lina's birthday is coming up and I would like tobuy something nice for her.
Synonyms: inconvenience, disturb, burden, put out More Synonyms of trouble
12.
See in/into trouble
13.
See take the trouble
14.
See more trouble than it is worth
More Synonyms of trouble
trouble in British English
(ˈtrʌbəl)
noun
1.
a state or condition of mental distress or anxiety
2.
a state or condition of disorder or unrest
industrial trouble
3.
a condition of disease, pain, or malfunctioning
she has liver trouble
4.
a cause of distress, disturbance, or pain; problem
what is the trouble?
5.
effort or exertion taken to do something
we took a lot of trouble over this design
6.
liability to suffer punishment or misfortune (esp in the phrase be in trouble)
he's in trouble with the police
7.
a personal quality that is regarded as a weakness, handicap, or cause of annoyance
his trouble is that he's too soft
8. the Troubles
9.
the condition of an unmarried girl who becomes pregnant (esp in the phrase in trouble)
verb
10. (transitive)
to cause trouble to; upset, pain, or worry
11. (intransitive; usually with a negative and foll byabout)
to put oneself to inconvenience; be concerned
don't trouble about me
12. (intr; usually with a negative)
to take pains; exert oneself
please don't trouble to write everything down
13. (transitive)
to cause inconvenience or discomfort to
does this noise trouble you?
14. (tr; usually passive)
to agitate or make rough
the seas were troubled
15. (transitive) Caribbean
to interfere with
she wouldn't like anyone to trouble her new bicycle
Derived forms
troubled (ˈtroubled)
adjective
troubler (ˈtroubler)
noun
Word origin
C13: from Old French troubler, from Vulgar Latin turbulāre (unattested), from Late Latin turbidāre, from turbidus confused, from turba commotion
trouble in American English
(ˈtrʌbəl)
verb transitiveWord forms: ˈtroubled or ˈtroubling
1.
to disturb or agitate
troubled waters
2.
to cause mental agitation to; worry; harass; perturb; vex
3.
to cause pain or discomfort to; afflict
my back troubled me
4.
to cause difficulty or inconvenience to; incommode
don't trouble yourself to rise
5.
to pester, annoy, tease, bother, etc.
verb intransitive
6.
to make an effort; take pains; bother
don't trouble to return it
noun
7.
a state of mental distress; worry
8.
a.
a misfortune; calamity; mishap
b.
a distressing or difficult happening or situation
c.
a condition of being out of order, needing repair, etc.
tire trouble
9.
a person, circumstance, or event that causes annoyance, distress, difficulty, etc.
10.
public disturbance; civil disorder
11.
effort; bother; pains
to take the trouble to look it up
12.
an illness; ailment; disease
Idioms:
in trouble
the Troubles
trouble someone for
Derived forms
troubler (ˈtroubler)
noun
Word origin
ME trublen < OFr trubler < VL *turbulare, altered (infl. by L turbula, disorderly group, dim. of turba, crowd) < LL turbidare, to trouble, make turbid < L turbidus, turbid
COBUILD Collocations
trouble
avoid trouble
cause trouble
circulation trouble
deep trouble
double trouble
enough trouble
financial trouble
hamstring trouble
money troubles
real trouble
relegation trouble
serious trouble
spell trouble
stir up trouble
store up trouble
terrible trouble
trouble flared
Examples of 'trouble' in a sentence
trouble
Share your romantic troubles and moan about your bad knee.
The Sun (2016)
The firm had to deny speculation over the weekend it is in financial trouble.
The Sun (2016)
So we put our troubles aside and get our work done first.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The man himself will have no trouble keeping busy.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This country is in big trouble.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
This morning he finds himself back in trouble, suspended from work.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Without economic growth, savers would have found themselves in deep trouble anyway.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
I say they would have been asking for trouble to do anything else.
The Sun (2017)
The trouble is each one of these hooligans knows they won't receive a harsh punishment because of their age.
The Sun (2016)
This is a weak enough race for his fencing debut and he clearly won't be troubled if the conditions get softer.
The Sun (2016)
Any deficiencies in their work can lead to significant legal and financial troubles.
Christianity Today (2000)
He missed most of the next season because of back trouble.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The trouble is one has to go.
The Sun (2014)
You know you need help to stay out of trouble and find something worthwhile to aim for.
The Sun (2009)
There was another troubling aspect to the film.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
They have joined a gang and two are already in trouble with the police.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
There are various organisations that can assist anyone in trouble.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
So do take the trouble to invite them out or go in for a visit.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
But just about any back trouble can cause pain in your leg as far as your knee.
The Sun (2015)
Will it be any trouble to get over here that quickly?
Kiam, Victor Going For It!: How to Succeed As an Entrepreneur (1986)
He pointed out how all the big clubs have trouble with them.
The Sun (2012)
Their stretched financial position could be making a tricky situation much more troubling.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The trouble about declaring war is that loss becomes a real possibility.
The Times Literary Supplement (2014)
We know our neighbours but we do not trouble to know anything about them.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
But will the troubled show still go on?
The Sun (2014)
Will it trouble me physically?
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Quotations
Man is born unto troubleBible: Job
Double, double, toil and troubleWilliam ShakespeareMacbeth
Never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you
In other languages
trouble
British English: trouble /ˈtrʌbl/ NOUN
You can refer to problems or difficulties as trouble.
I had trouble parking.
American English: trouble
Arabic: قَلَق
Brazilian Portuguese: problema
Chinese: 麻烦
Croatian: problem
Czech: potíže
Danish: problem
Dutch: moeite
European Spanish: problemas
Finnish: vaikeus
French: difficultés
German: Schwierigkeit
Greek: μπελάς
Italian: problema
Japanese: 困難
Korean: 곤란
Norwegian: trøbbel
Polish: kłopot
European Portuguese: problema
Romanian: dificultate
Russian: беспокойство
Latin American Spanish: problema
Swedish: bekymmer
Thai: ปัญหา
Turkish: güçlük
Ukrainian: проблема
Vietnamese: vấn đề phiền toái
All related terms of 'trouble'
in trouble
pregnant when unmarried
avoid trouble
You can refer to problems or difficulties as trouble .
cause trouble
You can refer to problems or difficulties as trouble .
crowd trouble
bad behaviour by fans at a sports match
deep trouble
You can refer to problems or difficulties as trouble .
heart trouble
any medical condition that affects the normal healthy operation of the heart
real trouble
You can refer to problems or difficulties as trouble .
spell trouble
You can refer to problems or difficulties as trouble .
trouble-free
Something that is trouble-free does not cause any problems or difficulties.
trouble spot
A trouble spot is a country or an area of a country where there is repeated fighting between two or more groups of people.
trouble-torn
afflicted with trouble , disorder or unrest
borrow trouble
to worry about anything needlessly or before one has sufficient cause
double trouble
You can refer to problems or difficulties as trouble .
engine trouble
malfunction of a vehicle's engine
enough trouble
You can refer to problems or difficulties as trouble .
finger trouble
trouble caused by operator error , such as striking the wrong key
serious trouble
You can refer to problems or difficulties as trouble .
trouble flared
You can refer to problems or difficulties as trouble .
financial trouble
You can refer to problems or difficulties as trouble .
hamstring trouble
If you have kidney trouble or back trouble , for example, there is something wrong with your kidneys or your back.
relegation trouble
You can refer to problems or difficulties as trouble .
terrible trouble
You can refer to problems or difficulties as trouble .
circulation trouble
If you have kidney trouble or back trouble , for example, there is something wrong with your kidneys or your back.
in/into trouble
If someone is in trouble , they are in a situation in which a person in authority is angry with them or is likely to punish them because they have done something wrong .
stir up trouble
You can refer to problems or difficulties as trouble .
store up trouble
You can refer to problems or difficulties as trouble .
take the trouble
If you take the trouble to do something, you do something which requires a small amount of additional effort .
trouble someone for
to ask someone to pass , hand , give, etc. (something) to one
troubleshooter
A troubleshooter is a person whose job is to solve major problems or difficulties that occur in a company or government.
more trouble than it is worth
If you say that someone or something is more trouble than they are worth , you mean that they cause you a lot of problems or take a lot of time and effort and you do not achieve or gain very much in return.
be asking for trouble/be asking for it
If you say that someone is asking for trouble or is asking for it , you mean that they are behaving in a way that makes it very likely that they will get into trouble.