trouble
/ˈtrʌbl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈtrʌbl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈtrə-bəl/ (ame, mw) · /ˈtrʌb.əl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈtrʌb.əl/ (ame, ipa)
trouble — noun
- troublesingular
- troublesplural
1. The difficulties or worries that someone faces in everyday life or when dealing
The difficulties or worries that someone faces in everyday life or when dealing with a particular task or situation.
Jiwoo had trouble finding the right street because the road signs were missing.
have trouble + verb-ing
Samir's old car caused him trouble almost every weekend.
cause + person + trouble
Salma is having trouble with the new computer system at work.
When the power went out, every household in the neighbourhood was in trouble.
Élise always asks her brother for help when she has trouble at school.
- difficulty
more neutral and slightly more formal; 'trouble' often implies personal inconvenience
- hardship
more severe; refers to sustained suffering rather than everyday problems
- inconvenience
milder; focuses on minor disruption rather than serious difficulty
- ease
a situation without difficulty or effort
- smooth sailing
informal idiom meaning a problem-free experience
文法句型
have trouble + with + noun
have trouble + verb-ing
in trouble
用法筆記
Frequently used in patterns like 'have trouble + gerund' (have trouble sleeping) and 'have trouble with + noun' (have trouble with technology). The noun is nearly always uncountable when referring to difficulties — 'I have a lot of trouble' not 'many troubles'.
常見錯誤
2. A difficult situation that someone has entered because they broke a rule, did so
A difficult situation that someone has entered because they broke a rule, did something illegal, or made a serious mistake that someone else will be angry about.
Mateo got into trouble at school for drawing on the classroom walls.
get into trouble for + noun/gerund
Shanti knew she would be in trouble if her mother saw the broken vase.
be in trouble if…
The politician stayed out of trouble by not answering questions after the scandal.
Brooke's older brother is always getting into trouble with the law.
Dario warned his younger sister not to get into trouble at the party.
- hot water
informal idiom meaning the same but more emphatic
- a tight spot
informal; focuses on the difficulty of escaping rather than the wrongdoing
- scrape
informal British; a minor trouble caused by one's own actions
文法句型
get into trouble
be in trouble
stay out of trouble
get + someone + into trouble
用法筆記
This sense is almost always used in fixed prepositional phrases with 'in' or 'into'. 'Get into trouble' focuses on the action that causes the problem, while 'be in trouble' describes the resulting state. Objects of 'get into trouble' are typically authority figures (parents, teachers, police, the law).
常見錯誤
3. A particular aspect or quality of a person, plan, or thing that makes it unsatis
A particular aspect or quality of a person, plan, or thing that makes it unsatisfactory or hard to deal with.
The trouble with this apartment is that the heating never works properly.
the trouble with [noun] is that…
One trouble with living in a small town is the lack of job opportunities.
trouble with + gerund
Yael thinks the trouble with the plan is that no one checked the budget first.
The only trouble with Dario's idea is that it takes too much time to set up.
文法句型
the trouble with + noun + is + that-clause
the only trouble is + that-clause
用法筆記
Always begins with 'the trouble' or 'one trouble' followed by 'with'. The structure 'the trouble with X is that…' is the most common pattern. Unlike sense 1, this sense is typically singular and used to introduce a criticism.
4. A problem with the way a machine, vehicle, or a part of the body works, causing
A problem with the way a machine, vehicle, or a part of the body works, causing it to stop functioning normally.
Sade took her car to the mechanic because of engine trouble.
engine trouble — vehicle collocation
Élise has been having back trouble since she lifted the heavy box last week.
have + body part + trouble
The old washing machine started giving us trouble again on Monday morning.
Shanti's grandmother has heart trouble and needs to see a specialist every month.
Astrid could not climb the stairs because of her knee trouble.
文法句型
have + [body part] + trouble
have + [machine] + trouble
give + person + trouble
用法筆記
Body-part trouble (back trouble, heart trouble, knee trouble) is an informal way of referring to a chronic or recurring health problem. For machines, 'engine trouble' and 'mechanical trouble' are the most common combinations. More formal alternatives are 'problem with' or 'condition' for health issues.
5. A situation involving angry arguments, noisy behaviour, or physical violence, of
A situation involving angry arguments, noisy behaviour, or physical violence, often in a public place such as a bar, stadium, or street.
The bar closed early after a group of customers started causing trouble.
cause trouble — public disturbance collocation
Maeve's parents told her to stay away from the boys who were looking for trouble.
look for trouble — intentionally seeking conflict
Police arrived quickly when trouble broke out at the football stadium.
The teacher separated two students who were making trouble in the hallway.
- conflict
more formal and broader; includes non-physical disagreement
- disturbance
formal; a disruption of public order, often used by police or media
- unrest
more sustained; refers to a series of disturbances, not a single incident
文法句型
cause trouble
make trouble
look for trouble
trouble breaks out
用法筆記
Common in fixed phrases describing deliberate or predictable conflict. 'Looking for trouble' means actively trying to start a fight, while 'trouble breaks out' describes a sudden eruption of violence without implying who started it. Subjects are often places (bars, stadiums, streets) where crowds gather.
常見錯誤
❌ 'He was causing trouble at the party' (ambiguous — could mean misbehaviour or fighting). If you mean violence, be more specific or rely on context.
6. A small amount of extra work or inconvenience that someone does or avoids doing,
A small amount of extra work or inconvenience that someone does or avoids doing, often used in polite offers, refusals, or expressions of gratitude.
Thank you for taking the trouble to drive me all the way to the airport.
take the trouble to + verb
It is no trouble at all — I was going to the station anyway.
it is no trouble — polite reply
Samir went to a lot of trouble to prepare a special dinner for his guests.
Please do not go to any trouble on my account — a simple sandwich is fine.
Yael spared me the trouble of cooking by bringing takeaway food on her way over.
- effort
broader; not limited to polite expressions
- bother
informal; emphasises the inconvenience rather than the work involved
- inconvenience
more formal; focuses on the disruption to one's plans
文法句型
take the trouble to + verb
go to the trouble of + verb-ing
it is no trouble
spare + person + the trouble
用法筆記
This sense appears almost exclusively in fixed expressions. 'Take the trouble to' emphasises deliberate effort, while 'go to the trouble of' focuses on the extent of preparation. 'It's no trouble' is a standard polite response to thanks. The negative form 'don't go to any trouble' is used to politely decline an offered service.
常見錯誤
trouble — verb
- troublepresent simple I / you / we / they
- troubles3rd person singular
- troubling-ing form
- troubledpast simple
1. To make someone feel worried, anxious, or upset about something, often because i
To make someone feel worried, anxious, or upset about something, often because it keeps coming back into their thoughts.
The strange noise from the car troubled Maeve during the long drive home.
trouble + person (cause worry)
It troubles Jiwoo that her parents are always arguing about money.
it troubles + person + that-clause
The thought of the surgery troubled Salma all week before the operation.
What troubles the rescue team most is that no one has heard from the hikers for two days.
Élise was deeply troubled by the news of her childhood friend's sudden illness.
文法句型
trouble + person
be troubled by + noun
it troubles + person + that-clause
用法筆記
Often passive ('be troubled by') for describing an ongoing worried state. The active form with a that-clause ('it troubles me that…') is common for expressing moral or emotional concern. The subject is typically a situation, thought, or piece of news, not a person.
常見錯誤
2. To cause someone physical pain, illness, or ongoing difficulty, especially over
To cause someone physical pain, illness, or ongoing difficulty, especially over a period of time.
The rural region has been troubled by severe drought for three consecutive years.
passive: be troubled by + disaster/problem
Brooke was troubled by a persistent cough that would not go away after the flu.
Many older residents in the village are troubled by arthritis in their hands and knees.
A series of bad harvests troubled the farming community for much of the decade.
文法句型
be troubled by + illness/problem
trouble + body part
用法筆記
More literary and formal than verb sense 1. Most commonly used in the passive voice ('be troubled by'). Typical subjects are illnesses (back trouble, arthritis, cough) or large-scale problems (drought, conflict, poverty). Unlike sense 1, this sense describes actual affliction rather than mental worry, though the boundary can be blurry.
3. To politely ask someone to make a small effort or do something slightly inconven
To politely ask someone to make a small effort or do something slightly inconvenient for you, or to disturb someone when they are busy.
Sorry to trouble you, but could you help me lift this suitcase into the overhead bin?
sorry to trouble you — polite opener
Samir did not want to trouble his neighbours by playing loud music late at night.
Could I trouble you for a glass of water while I wait for my appointment?
Shanti never troubles anyone with her personal problems, even when she clearly needs help.
Dario did not want to trouble his boss until he had fixed the mistake himself.
- bother
less formal; the closest everyday synonym
- disturb
stronger; implies breaking someone's focus or rest
- inconvenience
more formal; focuses on the disruption rather than the act of asking
文法句型
trouble + person + for + noun
trouble + person + to + verb
sorry to trouble you
trouble + person + about + noun
用法筆記
Used almost exclusively in polite requests and apologies for interrupting. 'Sorry to trouble you' is a fixed phrase for starting a request with a stranger or someone in authority. 'Could I trouble you for…?' is formal but friendly. Not normally used in the passive ('I was troubled' would sound like sense 1 or 2).