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worry definition

worry (wʉr′ē)

transitive verb worried -·ried, worrying -·ry·ing

    1. to harass or treat roughly with or as with continual biting or tearing with the teeth a dog worrying a bone
    2. to pluck at, push on, touch, etc. repeatedly in a nervous or determined way worrying the loose tooth with his tongue
  2. to annoy, bother, harass, vex, etc.
  3. to cause to feel troubled or uneasy; make anxious; distress

Etymology: ME wirwen < OE wyrgan, to strangle, injure, akin to Ger würgen, to strangle < IE *werĝh-, to twist, choke < base *wer-, to twist > worm

intransitive verb

  1. to bite, pull, or tear (at an object) with or as with the teeth
  2. to feel distressed in the mind; be anxious, troubled, or uneasy
  3. to manage to get (along or through) in the face of trials and difficulties

noun pl. worries -·ries

  1. the act of worrying
  2. a troubled state of mind; anxiety; distress; care; uneasiness
  3. something that causes anxiety

Related Forms:

worry Idioms

not to worry!

Informal you do not need to worry!

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

worry Synonyms

worry

n.

  1. A state of anxiety

    anxiety, uneasiness, apprehension, concern; see anxiety, care 2, distress 1.

  2. A cause of worry

    problem, upset, disturbance; fearfear 2, troubletrouble 2. See syn. study at care.care.


worry

v.

  1. To cause worry

    annoy, trouble, bother, bug*; see depress 2, disturb 2.

  2. To indulge in worry

    fret, chafe, grieve, take to heart, break one's heart, worry oneself, have qualms, despair, wince, agonize, writhe, suffer, turn gray with worry, be anxious, become sick with worry, stew, sweat out*; see also bother 1.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

worry Usage Examples

Preposition: about

  • repercussion: If the decision is forced, I worry about the repercussions for the team as an entity long-term.

Converse of object

  • eliminate: That's why the Neoware e90 can help eliminate worry about the future.

Adjective modifier

  • don't: As he does, Susan shouts after him ] Susan: Don't worry about your car, Alan.

Noun used with modifier

  • dont: But if the genders not yet known, dont worry.

Used with why or when

  • where: Most people do not need to worry about where their sewage goes.
worry usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

worry quotes

A wrong decision can make me very miserable.But I have trust in God. If you have this trust you don't have to worry, as you don't have the sole responsibility.

-Denning, Alfred Thompson, Lord

When you've reached myage, and your friends are beginning to worry about you, blind dates are a way of life.

-Epstein,JuliusJ

Grab your coat, and get your hat, Leave your worry on the doorstep, Just direct your feet To the sunny side of the street.

-Fields, Dorothy

worry quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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"worry." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/worry>

APA Style

worry. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/worry

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