Trouble
/ˈtɹʌbəl/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA distressing or dangerous situation.
nounA difficulty, problem, condition, or action contributing to such a situation.
Sentence Examples
More people get into trouble for things they say rather than for what they do.
You needn't have gone to the trouble.
We've had nothing but trouble with this car.
CEFR Practice Quiz
He got into ____ when he broke the window while playing ball.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Please let me know if you have any ____ finishing the assignment, as I am always happy to help you today.
Word Origin & History
Verb is from Middle English troublen, trouble, 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 trouble, troble, from Old French troble, from the verb.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Lest the fiend […] some new trouble raise."
— 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:
"Foul whisperings are abroad; unnatural deeds / Do breed unnatural troubles."
— 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]:
"’Cause I knew you were trouble when you walked in
So shame on me no-ow"
— 2021, Taylor Swift, Max Martin, Shellback, “I Knew You Were Trouble (Taylor's Version)”, in Red (Taylor's Version), performed by Taylor Swift:
"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, […]"
— 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XL”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 63:
"“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. […]”"
— 1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter VII, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
He got into ____ when he broke the window while playing ball.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Please let me know if you have any ____ finishing the assignment, as I am always happy to help you today.