"troublesome" - Word of the Day from the OED

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troublesome, a.

SECOND EDITION 1989

(trb()lsm)  Forms: see TROUBLE n. [f. TROUBLE n. + -SOME¹.] 

    Full of, characterized by, or causing trouble.

    1. Full of disturbance or tumult; disturbed, disorderly, unsettled, troublous. Obs.

a1548 HALL Chron., Hen. IV, 19 His painfull and busi wanderyng, his troblesome and vncertaine abidyng. 1553 in Hakluyt Voy. (1599) II. 111 There arose in the ship such a troublesome disturbance, that all the ship was in an vprore with weapons. 1560 J. DAUS tr. Sleidane's Comm. 98 The state of Christendom was troublesome. 1687 ALDWORTH in Magd. Coll. & Jas. II (O.H.S.) 63 In troublesome times.

    b. Causing or inclined to cause disturbance; turbulent. Obs.

1552 HULOET, Troublesome, or full of troublynge, or who troubleth muche, vexabundus. 1591 SAVILE Tacitus, Hist. I. lxvii. 37 His froward and troublesome disposition. 1687 H. HOLDEN in Magd. Coll. & Jas. II (O.H.S.) 124 The Crowd..was very troublesome.

    c. Characterized by physical disturbance or agitation; stormy. Obs.

1560 J. DAUS tr. Sleidane's Comm. Pref. 2b, In so many troublesome stormes, and tempestes full of pearil. 1610 HOLLAND Camden's Brit. (1637) 697 It is a troublesome River and dangerous even in Summer time. 1623 LISLE Ælfric on O. & N. Test. Pref., A troublesome and tempestuous sea.

    2. Full of trouble, affliction, or distress; troubled, sorrowful. arch.

1552 Bk. Com. Prayer, Public Baptism Infants, That they..maye so passe the waues of thys troublesome world, that [etc.]. 1575-85 ABP. SANDYS Serm. (Parker Soc.) 321 Heretics, by whom it [marriage] hath been not only misliked as troublesome, but utterly condemned as unclean. 1614 RALEIGH Hist. World IV. vi. §4. 281 So many Darts..as tooke away his..hopes, together with his troublesome life. 1734 ARBUTHNOT Let. to Swift 4 Oct., I am going out of this troublesome world. 1853 LYNCH Self-Improv. ii. 43 Christianity is..plainly designed for a troublesome world.

    b. Troubled in mind, having trouble. rare¹.

1596 DALRYMPLE tr. Leslie's Hist. Scot. v. (S.T.S.) I. 289 For the cleir cloudis to the dulfull was pleisant, and to the trublesum happie.

    3. Giving trouble; causing annoyance; vexatious, distressing, worrying, bothering.

1573 G. HARVEY Letter-bk. (Camden) 4, I hope you wil haue me excusid thouh I be trubblesum to your waihtier affaiers. 1598 SHAKES. Merry W. I. i. 325 Ile rather be vnmannerly, then troublesome. 1604 E. G[RIMSTONE] D'Acosta's Hist. Indies II. xiii. 112 Why are not the nightes in summer at Peru, as hotte and troublesome as in Spaine? 1662 J. DAVIES tr. Olearius' Voy. Ambass. 97 This small mony..is troublesome in the telling and handling. 1747 WESLEY Prim. Physic (1762) 84 If the Cough be very troublesome. 1839 THIRLWALL Greece xlv. VI 33 If the barbarians were troublesome neighbours.

    4. Involving labour or effort; toilsome, laborious, difficult; tiresome, wearisome, oppressive. Now rare.

1576 FLEMING Panopl. Epist. 243 An office of exceeding great authoritie, and maruellous troublesome. 1600 J. PORY tr. Leo's Africa v. 236 Their streetes either descend or ascend, which is verie troublesome to them that haue any busines in the towne. 1632 LITHGOW Trav. VI. 253 Leauing our troublesome way. 1780 Mirror No. 97 30 When I first got the multiplication-table by heart..it was a plaguy troublesome job. 1836-41 BRANDE Chem. (ed. 5) 485 Phosphorus may be purified by careful distillation, but the process is troublesome and dangerous.

    b. Painstaking, laborious. Obs. rare.

1818 MOORE Mem. (1853) II. 245 A most learned and troublesome practician.

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