trouble English · revision 2887

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1200|origins=la turbidus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈtrʌb.ᵊl/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|troublen]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) [[bor|fro|trubler|t=to disturb, make cloudy]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) a form of turbler with the sounds swapped,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[la-vul|*turbulāre]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[la-lat|turbidāre|t=to trouble, make turbid]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[la|turbidus|t=disordered, muddy]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021) from [[m|la|turba|t=crowd, disturbance]].^(Cresswell 2021) The noun is from Old French truble.^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) It is related to [[turbid]], [[disturb]], [[perturb]] and [[turbulent]].^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The verb, to disturb or agitate: probably before 1200, in the ''Ancrene Riwle'',^(Barnhart 1988) and about 1200 in Etymonline as “to cause mental agitation”.^(Etymonline) The noun, agitation of the mind: about 1200,^(Etymonline) and about 1230 in the OED.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ “To inflict suffering on” is from the mid-14th century,^(Etymonline) and to stir up water or air from 1340.^(OED 1989) The noun was used of the agitation of the sea by about 1400, and of confusion and disorder generally.^(Etymonline) A cause of worry is from the early 15th century,^(Etymonline) public disturbance from the 14th century,^(Hoad 1986) unpleasant relations with the authorities from the 1550s,^(Etymonline) and ''the troubles'', public unrest, from the 1510s.^(Etymonline) The polite “to put to inconvenience”, as in requests and apologies, is by the 1510s.^(Etymonline) Faulty working of a machine, as in ''engine trouble'', is from 1902,^(OED 1989) and ''trouble and strife'', rhyming slang for “wife”, from 1908.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1200 – mental agitation.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1340 – to stir up water.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1400 – of the sea; disorder.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1510s – to bother with requests, and ''the troubles''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1550s – trouble with the authorities.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1902 – a malfunction.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1908 – ''trouble and strife''.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A state of [[distress]], difficulty or danger.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A cause of distress or difficulty.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Effort or inconvenience: ''it's no trouble''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # A [[malfunction]] or ailment: ''heart trouble''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Public [[unrest]] or disturbance.^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To cause [[worry]] or distress to.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To afflict with pain.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To inconvenience or bother.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # To stir up or agitate water.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[troubler]]

+ * [[troublingly]]

+ * [[troubledly]]

+ * [[troubledness]]

+ * [[troubleproof]]

+ * [[troublous]]

+ * [[troubled]]

+ * [[troublemaker]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[turbid]]

+ * [[turbulent]]

+ * [[disturb]]

+ * [[perturb]]

+ * [[turbine]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}