trouble

See also: troublé

Etymology

Verb is from Middle English troublen, trublen, turblen, troblen, borrowed from Old French troubler, trobler, trubler, metathetic variants of tourbler, torbler, turbler, from Vulgar Latin *turbulō, from Latin turbula (“disorderly group, a little crowd or people”), diminutive of turba (“stir; crowd”). The noun is from Middle English truble, troble, from Old French troble, from the verb.

Pronunciation

(Received Pronunciation) enPR: trŭbʹəl; IPA^(key): /ˈtɹʌb(ə)l/
(General American) IPA^(key): /ˈtɹʌb(ə)l/, /ˈtɹə-/
Audio (General American): (file)
Rhymes: -ʌbəl
Hyphenation: trou‧ble

Noun

trouble (countable and uncountable, plural troubles)

A distressing or dangerous situation.
Synonyms: see Thesaurus:difficult situation

He was in trouble when the rain started.
A difficulty, problem, condition, or action contributing to such a situation.
The trouble was a leaking brake line.

The bridge column magnified the trouble with a slight tilt in the wrong direction.
- 1667, John Milton, “Book XI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
  Lest the fiend […] some new trouble raise.
- c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]:
  Foul whisperings are abroad; unnatural deeds / Do breed unnatural troubles.
A person liable to place others or themselves in such a situation.
- 2021, Taylor Swift, Max Martin, Shellback (lyrics and music), “I Knew You Were Trouble (Taylor's Version)”, in Red (Taylor's Version)‎, performed by Taylor Swift:
  ’Cause I knew you were trouble when you walked in
  So shame on me no-ow
The state of being troubled, disturbed, or distressed mentally; unease, disquiet.
- 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, Canto XL, page 63:
  Yet oft when sundown skirts the moor
  ⁠An inner trouble I behold,
  ⁠A spectral doubt which makes me cold,
  That I shall be thy mate no more, […]
Objectionable feature of something or someone; problem, drawback, weakness, failing, or shortcoming.
Synonyms: pain in the neck; see also Thesaurus:defect, Thesaurus:hindrance, Thesaurus:nuisance

The trouble with that suggestion is that we lack the funds to put it in motion.
Violent or turbulent occurrence or event; unrest, disturbance.
Synonyms: palaver, turmoil; see also Thesaurus:commotion

the troubles in Northern Ireland
- 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y., London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
  “I don’t know how you and the ‘head,’ as you call him, will get on, but I do know that if you call my duds a ‘livery’ again there’ll be trouble. It’s bad enough to go around togged out like a life saver on a drill day, but I can stand that ’cause I'm paid for it. What I won’t stand is to have them togs called a livery. […] ”
Efforts taken or expended, typically beyond the normal required.
It’s no trouble for me to edit it.
- 1850, William Cullen Bryant, Letters of a Traveller:
  She never took the trouble to close them.
- 1881, Robert Louis Stevenson, Virginibus Puerisque:
  Indeed, by the report of our elders, this nervous preparation for old age is only trouble thrown away.
Difficulty in doing something.
She has trouble eating.
Health problems, ailment, generally of some particular part of the body.
Synonyms: affliction, malady; see also Thesaurus:disease

He’s been in hospital with some heart trouble.
A malfunction.
My old car has engine trouble.
Liability to punishment; conflict with authority.
He had some trouble with the law.
(mining) A fault or interruption in a stratum.
(Cockney rhyming slang) Wife. Clipping of trouble and strife.
Synonyms: see Thesaurus:wife
(slang, dated) An unplanned, unwanted or undesired pregnancy.
- 1971, Bob Stone (lyrics and music), “Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves”, performed by Cher:
  I never had schoolin’ but he taught me well / With his smooth southern style / Three months later I’m a gal in trouble / And I haven’t seen him for a while.

Derived terms

Collocations

Verbs often used with "trouble"

make, spell, stir up, ask for, etc.

Descendants

Jersey Dutch: tröbel

Translations

distressful or dangerous situation

Albanian: hall (sq) m, telash (sq) f, barazhgë f
Arabic: مُشْكِلَة f (muškila), مَتاعِب m pl (matāʕib)
Armenian: նեղություն (hy) (neġutʻyun)
Avar: балагь (balah)
Azerbaijani: bəla (az)
Belarusian: бяда́ (be) f (bjadá), непрые́мнасць f (njepryjémnascʹ), непрые́мнасьць f (njepryjémnasʹcʹ) (Taraškievica), пры́красць f (prýkrascʹ), го́ра (be) n (hóra)
Bengali: তকলিফ (bn) (tokoliph)
Bhojpuri: दिक्कत (dikkat)
Bulgarian: беда́ (bg) f (bedá), неприя́тност (bg) f (neprijátnost)
Catalan: problema (ca) m
Chinese:
Mandarin: 麻煩／麻烦 (zh) (máfán)
Czech: potíž (cs) f, nepříjemnost f
Dutch: zorg (nl), moeilijkheid (nl), moeite (nl), last (nl)
East Central German: Aarchr m
Finnish: hankaluudet (fi) pl, vaikeudet (fi) pl, pula (fi)
French: peine (fr) f
Galician: problema (gl) m
Georgian: გასაჭირი (gasač̣iri), უსიამოვნება (usiamovneba)
German: Ärger (de) m
Gothic: 𐌳𐍂𐍉𐌱𐌽𐌰 m (drōbna), 𐌰𐌲𐌻𐍉 f (aglō)
Greek: μπελάς (el) m (belás), φασαρία (el) f (fasaría), ταραχή (el) f (tarachí)
Ancient: ἀνία f (anía), κακόν n (kakón)
Hawaiian: pilikia
Hindi: तकलीफ़ f (taklīf), कष्ट (hi) m (kaṣṭ), दिक़्क़त f (diqqat), दिक्कत (hi) f (dikkat), मुसीबत (hi) f (musībat)
Hungarian: baj (hu), gond (hu)
Irish: trioblóid f
Italian: guaio (it) m, problema (it) m, impiccio (it) m, tumulto (it) m
Japanese: 揉め事 (ja) (もめごと, momegoto), 厄介事 (やっかいごと, yakkaigoto), 迷惑 (ja) (めいわく, meiwaku)
Kurdish:
Northern Kurdish: bela (ku)
Latin: aerumna f
Malayalam: കുഴപ്പം (ml) (kuḻappaṁ)
Maori: moho, māreherehe
Norman: pôïne f (Guernsey)
Plautdietsch: Ploag f
Polish: kłopoty pl, bieda (pl) f, nieprzyjemność (pl) f, przykrość (pl) f
Portuguese: problema (pt) m, treta (pt) f, encrenca (pt) f
Romanian: necaz (ro) n
Russian: беда́ (ru) f (bedá), злоключе́ние (ru) n (zloključénije), неприя́тность (ru) f (neprijátnostʹ), го́ре (ru) n (góre), затрудне́ние (ru) n (zatrudnénije)
Scottish Gaelic: dragh m, èiginn f, buaireas m, teanntachd f, trioblaid f
Slovak: nepríjemnosť f, ťažkosti f pl
Spanish: marrón (es) m, berenjenal m, lío (es) m, embrollo (es) m, maraña (es) f, carajal m, trapisonda (es) f, furuminga f, berrodo m, margallate m, margayate m, morondanga (es) f, burundanga (es) f, borondanga (es) f
Talysh: bəlo
Tat: bəla
Telugu: గొడవ (te) (goḍava)
Turkish: bela (tr)
Ukrainian: ха́лепа f (xálepa), хале́па f (xalépa), біда́ (uk) f (bidá), неприє́мність f (nepryjémnistʹ), при́крість f (prýkristʹ), го́ре n (hóre)
Urdu: تکلیف f (taklīf), کشٹ m (kaṣṭ), بلا (bela)

difficulty

Belarusian: ця́жкасць f (cjážkascʹ)
Bulgarian: затрудне́ние (bg) n (zatrudnénie)
Catalan: problema (ca) m
Chinese:
Mandarin: 困难 (zh) (kùnnán), 困難／困难 (zh) (kùnnán)
Czech: obtížnost f
Finnish: hankaluus (fi), ongelma (fi)
French: mal (fr) m, problème (fr) m, emmerde (fr) f
Galician: problema (gl) m
Georgian: გასაჭირი (gasač̣iri), სირთულე (sirtule)
German: Schwierigkeit (de) f
Greek: μπελάς (el) m (belás)
Hawaiian: pilikia
Hungarian: nehézség (hu), gond (hu), probléma (hu), baj (hu)
Irish: trioblóid f
Italian: problema (it) m, difficoltà (it) f, dissesto (it) m
Japanese: 心配事 (ja) (しんぱいごと, shimpaigoto), 問題 (ja) (もんだい, mondai)
Korean: 문제 (ko) (munje), 곤란 (ko) (gollan)
Latin: difficultās f
Malayalam: കുഴപ്പം (ml) (kuḻappaṁ), പ്രശ്നം (ml) (praśnaṁ)
Maori: raru, māreherehe, moho
Persian: زحمت (fa) (zahmat)
Plautdietsch: Ploag f
Polish: kłopot (pl) m, problem (pl) m, trudność (pl) f
Portuguese: dificuldade (pt) f
Russian: затрудне́ние (ru) n (zatrudnénije), тру́дность (ru) f (trúdnostʹ), хло́поты (ru) f pl (xlópoty)
Scottish Gaelic: duilgheadas m, èiginn f, teanntachd f, trioblaid f
Slovak: obtiažnosť f
Spanish: dificultad (es) f, problema (es) m
Swedish: problem (sv) n
Tajik: заҳмат (zahmat)
Turkish: başağrısı (tr), problem (tr), sıkıntı (tr)
Ukrainian: тру́днощі f (trúdnošči)
Vietnamese: rắc rối (vi)
Walloon: rujhe (wa) f
Welsh: trafferth f

violent occurrence

Catalan: conflicte (ca) m
Chinese:
Mandarin: 冲突 (zh) (chōngtū), 衝突／冲突 (zh) (chōngtū)
Finnish: levottomuudet (fi) pl, selkkaus (fi), tappelu (fi), mekkala (fi)
French: troubles (fr) m pl
Galician: problema (gl) m
Greek: φασαρία (el) f (fasaría), ταραχή (el) f (tarachí)
Hungarian: zavargás (hu)
Italian: guaio (it) m, problema (it) m, grana (it) f
Japanese: 揉め事 (ja) (もめごと, momegoto), 厄介事 (やっかいごと, yakkaigoto)
Portuguese: treta (pt) f (Brazil, slang), encrenca (pt) f (Brazil)
Russian: беда́ (ru) f (bedá)
Scottish Gaelic: buaireas m

effort

Azerbaijani: zəhmət
Bulgarian: уси́лие (bg) n (usílie)
Catalan: molèstia (ca) f
Finnish: vaiva (fi), vaivannäkö
German: Anstrengung (de) f, Bemühung (de) f, Mühe (de) f
Hungarian: fáradság (hu), fáradozás (hu), fáradalom (hu), utánajárás (hu)
Italian: problema (it) m, impedimento (it) m, fastidio (it) m
Japanese: 厄介 (ja) (やっかい, yakkai), 骨折り (ja) (ほねおり, honeori)
Latin: opera (la) f, molimen n
Persian: زحمت (fa) (zahmat)
Polish: trud (pl) m
Russian: труд (ru) m (trud), уси́лие (ru) n (usílije), забо́ты (ru) f pl (zabóty), хло́поты (ru) f pl (xlópoty)
Spanish: molestia (es) f, costo (es) m (Costa Rica)
Tajik: заҳмат (zahmat)
Turkish: efor (tr), gayret (tr)

malfunction

Bulgarian: авария (bg) f (avarija), смущение (bg) n (smuštenie)
Catalan: trastorn (ca) m
Chinese:
Mandarin: 故障 (zh) (gùzhàng)
Finnish: häiriö (fi), ongelma (fi)
Galician: problema (gl) m
German: Störung (de) f
Greek: πρόβλημα (el) n (próvlima)
Hungarian: zavar (hu), (also medically) probléma (hu), (medically) panasz (hu), betegség (hu), bántalom (hu)
Italian: problema (it) m, fastidio (it) m
Japanese: 障害 (ja) (しょうがい, shōgai), 問題 (ja) (もんだい, mondai)
Russian: непола́дки (ru) m pl (nepoládki), перебо́й (ru) m (perebój)
Scottish Gaelic: trioblaid f
Turkish: arıza (tr)
Walloon: mehin (wa) m

liability for punishment

Catalan: conflicte (ca) m
Finnish: ongelma (fi), vaikeudet (fi) pl
Galician: problema (gl) m
Greek: προβλήματα (el) n pl (provlímata)
Italian: guaio (it) m, contrasto (it) m, intoppo (it) m
Russian: пробле́мы (ru) f pl (problémy)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

Albanian: ^{(please verify)} mund (sq) m
Arabic: ^{(please verify)} إِضْطِرَاب m (ʔiḍṭirāb)
Dutch: ^{(please verify)} last (nl), ^{(please verify)} zorg (nl), ^{(please verify)} probleem (nl) n
French: ^{(please verify)} peine (fr) f, ^{(please verify)} souci (fr)
German: ^{(please verify)} Mühe (de) f, ^{(please verify)} Sorge (de) f, ^{(please verify)} Ärger (de) m, ^{(please verify)} Ungemach (de) n
Hiligaynon: ^{(please verify)} problema
Irish: ^{(please verify)} aimpléis f
Italian: ^{(please verify)} pena (it) f, ^{(please verify)} disturbo (it) m, ^{(please verify)} disagio (it) m
Korean: ^{(please verify)} 걱정 (ko) (geokjeong), ^{(please verify)} 곤란 (ko) (gollan)
Kurdish:
Central Kurdish: ^{(please verify)} چەرمەسەری (çermeserî)
Mandarin: ^{(please verify)} 麻煩／麻烦 (zh) (máfan), ^{(please verify)} 麻烦 (zh) (máfán)
Old Norse: ^{(please verify)} úmaki m, ^{(please verify)} úmak n
Romanian: ^{(please verify)} păs (ro), ^{(please verify)} problemă (ro)
Santali: ^{(please verify)} ᱚᱡᱚᱨ (ôjôr)
Serbo-Croatian: ^{(please verify)} muka (sh) f, ^{(please verify)} trud (sh) m, ^{(please verify)} poteškoća, ^{(please verify)} napor (sh), ^{(please verify)} problem (sh), ^{(please verify)} nevolja (sh), ^{(please verify)} neprilika (sh)
Spanish: ^{(please verify)} pena (es) f
Swahili: ^{(please verify)} vurugu (sw), ^{(please verify)} gaya (sw)
Swedish: ^{(please verify)} besvär (sv), ^{(please verify)} möda (sv)
Tagalog: ^{(please verify)} problema (tl), ^{(please verify)} hirap
Telugu: ^{(please verify)} ఇబ్బంది (te) (ibbandi)

Verb

trouble (third-person singular simple present troubles, present participle troubling, simple past and past participle troubled)

(transitive, now rare) To disturb, stir up, agitate (a medium, especially water).
Synonyms: inturbidate, muddle, roil, stir
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John 5:4:
  For an Angel went downe at a certaine season into the poole, and troubled the water:
- 1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, line 1100:
  God looking forth will trouble all his Hoſt
(transitive) To mentally distress; to cause (someone) to be anxious or perplexed.
Synonyms: distress, torment; see also Thesaurus:vex

What she said about narcissism is troubling me.
- 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John 12:27:
  Now is my soule troubled, and what shall I say? Father, saue me from this houre, but for this cause came I vnto this houre.
- c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], page 281, column 2:
  Take the Boy to you: he ſo troubles me, / ’Tis paſt enduring.
- 1693, [John Locke], “§65”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], →OCLC, page 68:
  Never trouble your ſelf about thoſe Faults in them, which you know Age will cure.
(transitive) In weaker sense: to bother or inconvenience.
Synonyms: discommode, hassle, incommode; see also Thesaurus:annoy

I will not trouble you to deliver the letter.
(transitive, of ailments, etc.) To physically afflict.
My bad knee is troubling me.
(reflexive or intransitive) To take pains to do something; to bother.
Synonyms: make an effort, take great pains

I won’t trouble to post the letter today; I can do it tomorrow.
(intransitive) To worry; to be anxious.
Synonyms: angst, anxietize, cark, fret
- 1946, Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, I.26:
  Why trouble about the future? It is wholly uncertain.

Derived terms

trouble the scorers

Related terms

Descendants

→ Jersey Dutch: tröble

Translations

to bother; to annoy

Arabic:
Egyptian Arabic: كلف (kallif)
Bulgarian: безпокоя (bg) (bezpokoja), тревожа (bg) (trevoža)
Cherokee: ᎠᏕᏯᏙᏗᎭ (adeyadodiha)
Chinese:
Hokkien: 麻煩／麻烦 (zh-min-nan), 齪嘈／龊嘈 (zh-min-nan)

Mandarin: 麻煩／麻烦 (zh) (máfán), 騷攪／骚搅 (zh) (sāojiǎo)
Finnish: vaivata (fi)
French: troubler (fr), déranger (fr), embêter (fr)
German: beunruhigen (de), belästigen (de), bekümmern (de)
Gothic: 𐌳𐍂𐌰𐌹𐌱𐌾𐌰𐌽 (draibjan)
Greek: ενοχλώ (el) (enochló)
Ancient: σκύλλω (skúllō), ὀχλέω (okhléō)
Hungarian: zavar (hu), aggaszt (hu), fáraszt (hu)
Irish: cráigh
Italian: esagitare, infastidire (it), disturbare (it), agitare (it)
Japanese: 手数を掛ける (てすうをかける, tesū-o kakeru), 面倒を掛ける (めんどうをかける, mendō-o kakeru)
Kabuverdianu: ardiga
Latvian: traucēt
Polish: przeszkadzać (pl), dokuczać (pl), niepokoić (pl)
Portuguese: incomodar (pt), irritar (pt), molestar (pt)
Russian: беспоко́ить (ru) impf (bespokóitʹ), побеспоко́ить (ru) pf (pobespokóitʹ), обеспоко́ить (ru) pf (obespokóitʹ), трево́жить (ru) impf (trevóžitʹ), потрево́жить (ru) pf (potrevóžitʹ), встрево́жить (ru) pf (vstrevóžitʹ), волнова́ть (ru) impf (volnovátʹ), взволнова́ть (ru) pf (vzvolnovátʹ)
Sanskrit: बाधति (bādhati)
Scottish Gaelic: buair, cuir dragh air
Spanish: molestar (es), fastidiar (es), agobiar (es)
Swahili: kusumbua
Tagalog: istorbo, pahirapan

Anagrams

-buterol, Boulter, boulter

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /tʁubl/
Audio: (file)

Etymology 1

Deverbal from troubler or from Old French troble.

Noun

trouble m (plural troubles)

trouble
fauteur de troubles ― troublemaker
(medicine, psychiatry) disorder
trouble bipolaire ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)

trouble de la personnalité ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)

trouble de l’érection ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)

trouble de l’humeur ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)

trouble du sommeil ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)

trouble mental ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)

trouble obsessionnel compulsif ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)

trouble psychiatrique ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)

trouble psychique ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)

Descendants

→ German: Trubel

Etymology 2

Inherited from Old French troble, probably from a Vulgar Latin *turbulus (with metathesis), itself perhaps an alteration of Latin turbidus with influence from turbulentus; cf. also turbula. Compare Catalan tèrbol, Romanian tulbure.

Adjective

trouble (plural troubles)

(of a liquid) murky, turbid, muddy, thick, clouded, cloudy; not clear

Derived terms

pêcher en eau trouble

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

trouble

inflection of troubler:
1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
2. second-person singular imperative

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Derived terms

Collocations

Descendants

Translations

See also

Verb

Derived terms

Related terms

Descendants

Translations

Further reading

Anagrams

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Noun

Descendants

Etymology 2

Adjective

Derived terms

Etymology 3

Verb

Further reading

Etymology

Pronunciation

Noun

Derived terms

Collocations

Descendants

Translations

See also

Verb

Derived terms

Related terms

Descendants

Translations

Further reading

Anagrams

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

Noun

Descendants

Etymology 2

Adjective

Derived terms

Etymology 3

Verb

Further reading

English

French