English Explanatory Dictionary

worry

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To be troubled; to give way to mental anxiety or doubt.
  2. Disturb the peace of mind of; afflict with mental agitation or distress; to exercise.
  3. To harass; to irritate or distress.
  4. To seize or shake by the throat, especially of a dog or wolf.
  5. To touch repeatedly; to fiddle with.
  6. To strangle.
noun
  1. A strong feeling of anxiety.
  2. An instance or cause of such a feeling.
  3. A person who causes worry.

Pronunciation

/ˈwʌ.ɹi/ /ˈwɝ.i/ en-us-worry.ogg en-us-ne-worry.ogg /ˈwʊ.ɹi/ /ˈwɒ.ɹi/ /ˈwəʊ.ɹi/

Word forms

worry worries worrying worried

Etymology

From Middle English worien, werien, wirien, wirwen, wyryȝen (“to choke, strangle”), from Old English wyrġan, from Proto-Germanic *wurgijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *werǵʰ- (“bind, squeeze”). Cognate with Dutch worgen, wurgen, German würgen. Compare Latin urgere (“to press, push”), Sanskrit वृहति (vṛhati, “to tear out, pluck”), Lithuanian ver̃žti (“to string; squeeze”), Russian (poetic) отверза́ть (otverzátʹ, “to open”, literally “to untie”). Related to wring.

Synonyms

fret stress fuss concern preoccupy vex gnaw care

Derived words

beworry don't worry don't worry your pretty little head not to worry worried worry along worry back worry down worry someone sick a worry shared is a worry halved muffin worry sick with worry worrisome worry beads worry-free worryful worryless worry line worry stone worry-wart
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