noun / verb
trouble
TRUB-ul/ˈtrʌbl/
a problem or the difficulty or distress it causes
The leaking pipe causes trouble as water threatens to overflow the bucket.
Etymology
Old French trubler linked disturbance with making something cloudy or stirred up. English trouble first named mental agitation, then extended to a concern or something that causes distress.
In context
threatening to cause trouble at the run. Understanding the violence the Angels are capable of when confronted by a rival gang, law enforcement is potentially facing a big problem.
More examples
- I am sorry to trouble you.
- She has trouble sleeping.
- His silence troubled us.
Forms
trouble · troubles · troubled · troubling
Similar words
- difficulty
- More neutral and less suggestive of distress or danger.