Meaning of bothering In English

• 0 present participle of bother

• 1 to make the effort to do something:

  • [ + to infinitive ] He hasn't even bothered to write.

  • You could have phoned us but you just didn't bother.

  • [ + -ing verb ] Don't bother making the bed - I'll do it later.

  • [ + -ing verb or + to infinitive ] You'd have found it if you'd bothered looking/to look.

  • You won't get any credit for doing it, so why bother?

  • I can't be bothered to iron my clothes.

  • Most evenings I can't be bothered cooking.

• 2 to make someone feel worried or upset:

  • Does it bother you that he's out so much of the time?

  • Living on my own has never bothered me.

  • I don't care if he doesn't come - it doesn't bother me.

  • [ + that ] It bothers me that he doesn't seem to notice.

• 3 to annoy or cause problems for someone:

  • Don't bother your father when he's working.

  • I'm sorry to bother you, but could you help me lift this suitcase?

  • I didn't want to bother her with work matters on her day off.

  • The noise was beginning to bother us, so we left.

  • She threatened to call the police if he didn't stop bothering her.