bother

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   to cause annoyance in

   They bothered me with inane questions.

2. 2
   verb

   to make confused, perplexed, or puzzled

   The riddle bothers them.

3. 3
   verb

   to make nervous or agitated

   The mere thought of you bothered them and made their heart beat faster.

4. 4
   verb

   to intrude or enter uninvited

   Don't bother the professor with your personal problems.

5. 5
   verb

   to take the trouble to do something

   They didn't bother to clean up after themselves.

6. 6
   verb

   to cause inconvenience or discomfort to

   They bothered me with their annoying questions.

7. 7
   verb

   To annoy, to disturb, to irritate; to be troublesome to, to make trouble for.

   Would it bother you if I smoked?

8. 8
   verb

   To feel care or concern; to burden or inconvenience oneself out of concern.

   I never bother about such trivialities.

Etymology

Borrowed from Scots bauther, bather (“to bother”). Origin unknown. Perhaps related to Scots pother (“to make a stir or commotion, bustle”), also of unknown origin. Compare English pother (“to poke, prod”), variant of potter (“to poke”). More at potter. Perhaps related to Irish bodhaire (“noise”), Irish bodhraim (“to deafen, annoy”).