in a spot of bother
1
8.6
- idiom
- UK
- We know we're in a spot of bother, but things can be arranged, can't they?
Examples
-
She's in a spot of bother now that her car won't start in the middle of nowhere.
-
He is, however, in a spot of bother.
-
Your mum's in a spot of bother.
-
I don't know if you noticed back there, but we were in a spot of bother.
-
After forgetting his presentation notes, he found himself in a spot of bother.
-
If we miss the deadline, we'll be in a spot of bother with the client.
Synonyms
∞
2.9
In difficulty and likely to face bad results because of a mistake or bad situation
∞
1.0
A situation in which things are untidy and confused
23
6.7
In trouble and needing help to fix a problem
15
8.3
In trouble and not sure what to do
9
4.2
In a difficult situation that is hard to get out of
6
7.6
In a difficult situation that makes you unsure what to do
5
3.7
A difficult situation that is hard to deal with
3
9.3
In trouble because of a problem
Antonyms
How Troubled
- Informal
9
6.7
72
3.0
∞
2.9
- UK
1
8.6
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun 'bother' straightforwardly conveys 'trouble', and the structure 'in a ... of' signals being within that state, so the overall sense 'in trouble' is largely recoverable from the parts. However, the mini-idiom 'a spot of' meaning 'a small amount/a bit of' is somewhat idiomatic/British and may not be obvious to an average B1 learner, so the exact nuance is only partly predictable.
Etymology
In a spot of bother comes from the British phrase 'a spot of...' meaning a small amount, as in 'a spot of tea'. The words spot and bother give the image of a small spot of trouble, so the phrase means 'in a little trouble'.