Problem - English meaning

verb

Intercept and hold (something which has been thrown, propelled, or dropped).

Usage examples:

She threw the bottle into the air and caught it again

noun

An act of catching something, typically a ball.

Usage examples:

I saw myself fumbling easy catches and looking clumsy.

verb

Take hold of so as to seize or stop the motion of

noun

A circumstance that complicates something; a difficulty.

Usage examples:

There is a complication concerning ownership of the site

noun

Something that makes a situation more difficult

Usage examples:

This complication had not been foreseen., he died from complications of diabetes.

noun

Something that makes a situation more difficult, or the act of doing this

Usage examples:

Dave couldn't find his passport at the airport and then there were further complications when fiona…

noun

The state or condition of being difficult.

Usage examples:

Guy had no difficulty in making friends

noun

The fact of not being easy, or of being hard to do or understand

Usage examples:

[ u ] he has some difficulty hearing people when they speak softly., [ c usually pl ] in 1986 he ex…

noun

The fact of not being easy to do or understand

Usage examples:

With difficulty we finished the job, but only with great difficulty., difficulty of the difficulty …

noun

A feature that renders something less acceptable; a disadvantage or problem.

Usage examples:

The main drawback of fitting catalytic converters is the cost

noun

A disadvantage or problem; the negative part of a situation

Usage examples:

One of the drawbacks of working for a big company is that you have to follow a lot of rules.

noun

A disadvantage, or the negative part of a situation, product, etc.

Usage examples:

A drawback for some savers is that the bond has a minimum investment of £10,000., a big/main/major …

noun

An involuntary spasm of the diaphragm and respiratory organs, with a sudden closure of the glottis and a characteristic gulping sound.

Usage examples:

Then she got hiccups

verb

Have an attack of hiccups or a single hiccup.

Usage examples:

They lay about hiccuping and giggling

noun

One of a series of sudden, explosive releases of air from the throat, which are difficult to control but usually stop after a short time

Usage examples:

I’ve got the hiccups., she couldn’t stop hiccuping.

verb

Move (something) into a different position with a jerk.

Usage examples:

She hitched up her skirt and ran

noun

A temporary difficulty or problem.

Usage examples:

Everything went without a hitch

verb

Hook or entangle

noun

One of a series of upright frames over which athletes in a race must jump.

Usage examples:

A hurdle race

verb

Take part in a hurdle race.

Usage examples:

This gelding hurdled fluently

noun

A frame or fence for jumping over in a race

Usage examples:

He fell at the last hurdle., clear a hurdle she cleared (= jumped over) all the hurdles easily and …

noun

An important topic or problem for debate or discussion.

Usage examples:

The issue of racism

verb

Supply or distribute (something) for use or sale.

Usage examples:

Licences were issued indiscriminately to any company

noun

A subject or problem that people are thinking and talking about

Usage examples:

There continues to be a great deal of debate over the property tax issue., isn’t the need to hire m…

noun

A dirty or untidy state of things or of a place.

Usage examples:

She made a mess of the kitchen

verb

Make untidy or dirty.

Usage examples:

She scratched her head, messing her hair still further

idiom

Assemble without order or sense

phrasal verb

Spoil the order or arrangement of a collection of things.

Usage examples:

The papers got mixed up when they slid off her lap

phrasal verb

Confuse someone or something with another person or thing.

Usage examples:

I'd got her mixed up with her sister

verb

Bring into a disordered or confusing state.

Usage examples:

I fear he may have muddled the message

noun

An untidy and disorganized state or collection.

Usage examples:

The finances were in a muddle

noun

A messy and confused state

Usage examples:

Her life was in a muddle.

noun

A thing that blocks one's way or prevents or hinders progress.

Usage examples:

The major obstacle to achieving that goal is money

noun

Something that blocks your way so that movement or progress is prevented or made more difficult

Usage examples:

We suddenly encountered an obstacle along the trail., money seems to be no obstacle.

noun

A state of perplexity or uncertainty over what to do in a difficult situation.

Usage examples:

Kate was in a quandary

noun

A state of not being able to decide what to do about a situation in which you are involved

Usage examples:

I’ve had two job offers, and i’m in a real quandary about/over which one to accept.

noun

A reversal or check in progress.

Usage examples:

A serious setback for the peace process

noun

Something that causes delay or stops progress

Usage examples:

Democrats suffered a serious setback in yesterday’s election, losing all three contested seats.

noun

Something that happens that causes a delay or prevents a process from continuing

Usage examples:

He suffered a setback yesterday in his attempts to take a stake in the mobile phone company., a set…

noun

An unexpected or hidden obstacle or drawback.

Usage examples:

There's one small snag

verb

Catch or tear (something) on a sharp projection.

Usage examples:

Thorns snagged his sweater

noun

A sausage.

Usage examples:

I make my own snags, my own pies and pasties

phrase

Any obstacle or impediment

noun

A circumstance that causes difficulty or hesitation.

Usage examples:

The country's water shortage was a stumbling block to investors

noun

A difficulty that prevents progress, understanding, or agreement

Usage examples:

Several major stumbling blocks must be resolved.

suffix

Forming ordinal and fractional numbers from four onwards.

Usage examples:

Fifth

suffix

(forming nouns from verbs) denoting an action or process.

Usage examples:

Birth

suffix

Variant spelling of -eth2 (as in doth ).

noun

Difficulty or problems.

Usage examples:

I had trouble finding somewhere to park

verb

Cause distress or anxiety to.

Usage examples:

He was not troubled by doubts

noun

A problem, or difficulties

Usage examples:

[ u ] trouble began when he came to live with us., [ c ] she thought her troubles would be over whe…

verb

Feel or cause to feel anxious or troubled about actual or potential problems.

Usage examples:

He worried about his soldier sons in the war

noun

The state of being anxious and troubled over actual or potential problems.

Usage examples:

He's demented with worry

verb

To think about problems or unpleasant things that make you anxious, or to make someone feel anxious

Usage examples:

[ i ] if you get a monthly train ticket, you won’t have to worry about buying a ticket every day., …