INDEX:
1. feeling worried
2. to make someone feel worried
3. to feel worried about something
4. to feel worried all the time
5. making you feel worried
6. something that makes you feel worried
7. the feeling of being worried
8. someone who worries a lot
9. not worried
10. to make someone feel less worried
11. what you say to tell someone not to worry
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ NERVOUS
↑ FRIGHTENED/FRIGHTENING
↑ PROBLEM
↑ RELAX/RELAXED
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1. feeling worried
▷ worried /ˈwʌridǁˈwɜːrid/ [adjective]
not feeling happy or relaxed, because you keep thinking about a problem or about something bad that might happen :
▪ Dave could see how worried she was, and he tried to reassure her.
look worried
▪ You look worried - what’s the matter?
worried about
▪ Marion was worried about losing her job.
▪ We’re very worried about Grandma.
▪ I’m not really worried about how much it will cost.
worried (that)
▪ She rushed to the station, worried that she might miss her train.
▪ I was worried if I washed it, it might shrink.
get worried
▪ I’m getting worried because my account still hasn’t registered a check I deposited a while ago.
a worried look/frown/glance etc
▪ She had such a worried look on her face!
▪ Helen looked at me with a worried expression.
▷ anxious /ˈæŋkʃəs/ [adjective] especially written
very worried because you think that something bad has happened or may happen, and you feel that you have no control over the situation :
▪ Anxious relatives waited at the airport for news of the plane crash.
feel/sound anxious
▪ She knew it was a simple operation, but she still felt anxious.
anxious about
▪ Helen is always anxious about travelling alone.
▪ When you become anxious about sleeplessness, you actually make the problem worse.
an anxious face/voice/expression etc
▪ ‘Please come with me,’ she said in an anxious voice.
▪ Mae cast an anxious look in his direction.
anxiously [adverb]
▪ ‘Is he going to be all right?’ she asked anxiously.
▷ nervous /ˈnɜːʳvəs/ [adjective]
worried and slightly frightened about something that is going to happen or something new or difficult that you have to do :
▪ I’m always nervous before exams.
get nervous
▪ Mum gets nervous if we don’t call to say we’re late.
look/feel/sound nervous
▪ Bill looked nervous, and I could see that his hands were shaking.
▪ Harry began to feel nervous again as the plane made its descent.
make somebody (feel) nervous
▪ The sounds outside were making me feel nervous.
▪ Stop tapping your feet! You’re making me nervous.
nervous about
▪ Kelly was so nervous about her interview that she couldn’t sleep.
nervously [adverb]
▪ Nervously, she twisted her handkerchief in her fingers.
▪ Carrie peeped out nervously.
▷ concerned /kənˈsɜːʳnd/ [adjective]
worried about someone else’s problems, health, safety etc :
▪ A TV programme about cruelty to children brought hundreds of letters from concerned viewers.
concerned about
▪ I’m very concerned about Veronica. She looks so pale, and she has no appetite.
▪ World governments are becoming increasingly concerned about rising global temperature levels.
concerned for
▪ Rescuers are concerned for the safety of two men trapped in the mine.
▷ apprehensive /ˌæprɪˈhensɪv◂/ [adjective] formal
worried and a little frightened about something that you are going to do or about the future, because you are not sure what it will be like :
▪ Dr Gottlieb reassures apprehensive patients that the operation is a simple procedure.
apprehensive about
▪ I must admit that before my baby was born I was very apprehensive about motherhood.
▪ No one need be apprehensive about their personal safety; everything is under control.
apprehensively [adverb]
▪ She looked at her father apprehensively, frightened of what his reaction would be.
▷ uneasy /ʌnˈiːzi/ [adjective]
worried and not happy with a situation, because you feel there may be something wrong and you are not sure what is going to happen :
make somebody uneasy
▪ When I answered the telephone, no one was there, which made me uneasy.
feel uneasy
▪ After a while she started to feel uneasy, and then scared.
uneasy about
▪ Roger was a bit uneasy about the plan, but he agreed.
▪ 75 percent of consumers said they were uneasy about using their credit cards over the Internet.
distinctly uneasy
very uneasy
▪ I was distinctly uneasy in his company, but I couldn’t explain why.
have the/an uneasy feeling
▪ She had the uneasy feeling that he wasn’t going to come back.
uneasily [adverb]
▪ Deborah shifted uneasily in her seat.
▷ dismayed /dɪsˈmeɪd/ [adjective not usually before noun]
very worried, disappointed, and upset by something that has happened :
▪ Hardeep’s lawyer said his client was ‘shocked and dismayed’ after hearing the court’s decision.
dismayed at/by
▪ American historians are dismayed at the condition of the texts stored in the library.
dismayed to see/hear etc
▪ We were dismayed to discover that our daughter Louise had started experimenting with heroin.
dismayed that
▪ Danby was dismayed that Watt had opposed him in the vote.
▪ Many of the nurses are dismayed that the management intends to make further service reductions.
▷ not like the look/sound of /nɒt ˌlaɪk ðə ˈlʊk, ˈsaʊnd ɒv/ [verb phrase not in progressive] informal
if you do not like the look or sound of something, it makes you feel worried and unhappy because it seems threatening or dangerous :
▪ I don’t like the look of that rash on your chest.
▪ The captain’s face darkened as he listened. ‘I don’t like the sound of this,’ he said.
▪ Don’t let anyone into your home that you don’t like the look of.
2. to make someone feel worried
▷ worry /ˈwʌriǁˈwɜːri/ [transitive verb]
▪ The changes in the Earth’s climate began to worry some scientists.
▪ ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ ‘I didn’t want to worry you.’
it worries somebody that
▪ Doesn’t it worry you that Stephen spends so much time away from home?
what worries somebody is
▪ What worries me is the difference in age between Rosie and her boyfriend.
▪ One thing that worried me was that information had been leaked to the press.
▷ trouble /ˈtrʌb ə l/ [transitive verb]
if a problem troubles you, it makes you feel worried because you do not know what to do about it :
▪ You must talk to your daughter and find out what’s troubling her.
▪ The incident troubled me -- it wasn’t like Sarah to be so secretive.
be troubled by something
▪ She is troubled by the fact that her son already shows signs of inheriting his father’s mental problems.
troubled [adjective]
▪ Kemp looked troubled. ‘I’m not sure what’s wrong,’ he said.
▪ He caught her troubled expression, and put an arm around her shoulders.
▷ concern /kənˈsɜːʳn/ [transitive verb not in passive]
if someone else’s problems, health, safety etc concern you, you worry about them because you think they are important, even when they may not affect you personally :
▪ Kate’s behaviour at school is starting to concern her parents.
it concerns somebody that
▪ It concerns me that some tutors are meeting with students outside college hours.
what concerns somebody is
▪ What concerns me most is that despite pay increases, production has not improved.
▷ bother /ˈbɒðəʳǁˈbɑː-/ [transitive verb]
if something bothers you, it slightly worries you - use this especially about problems that do not seem serious :
▪ The only thing that bothers me is how I’m going to get from the station to the farm.
▪ You shouldn’t let little things like that bother you.
what bothers somebody is
▪ What bothers me is that you didn’t feel you could talk to me or your father about it.
▷ cause concern/be a cause for concern also give somebody cause for concern /ˌkɔːz kənˈsɜːʳn, biː ˌkɔːz fəʳ kənˈsɜːʳn, gɪv somebody ˌkɔːz fəʳ kənˈsɜːʳn/ [verb phrase]
if something that is happening causes concern or is a cause for concern, it makes someone, especially someone in an official position, feel worried, because it is unsatisfactory or possibly dangerous - used especially in official situations :
▪ We have to inform you that your son’s behaviour has been causing concern for some time now.
▪ Two dozen cases of water poisoning in the space of a week certainly is a cause for concern, and we shall be taking action.
▪ The Secretary General said that the recent developments are giving him cause for concern.
cause somebody concern
▪ Your husband has almost recovered -- the only thing that’s still causing us concern is his high blood pressure.
cause concern among
▪ The decision has caused concern among human rights groups.
▷ prey on your mind /ˌpreɪ ɒn jɔːʳ ˈmaɪnd/ [verb phrase]
if a problem or something bad that has happened preys on your mind, it worries you continuously even though you do not want to think about it :
▪ It was starting to prey on my mind so much that I went to the hospital.
▪ The old woman’s warning preyed on Mary’s mind as she continued her journey.
3. to feel worried about something
▷ worry /ˈwʌriǁˈwɜːri/ [intransitive verb]
▪ My husband worries when I’m late home from work.
▪ Don’t worry, there’s plenty of time.
▪ Mom, stop worrying. I’ll be fine.
worry (that)
▪ He began to worry he might lose his job.
▪ I was worried that Shannon was too small, but the doctor says she’s fine.
worry about
▪ I was really worried about it at the time.
▪ I don’t know what you’re worrying about.
▷ fret /fret/ [intransitive verb]
to worry a lot about something, especially something that is not very serious :
▪ She worries and frets all the time -- I think it’s because she’s got no one to talk to about her problems.
fret about/over
▪ I’d sit in meetings, fretting about what was happening at home.
▪ There’s no point in fretting over it now.
fret that
▪ Opponents fret that the system might not provide enough help in times of rural economic crisis.
▷ brood /bruːd/ [intransitive verb]
to keep thinking about and worrying about a problem for a long time after it has happened :
▪ There’s no point in brooding -- forget about her.
▪ Dad alternately brooded and raged, and Mum wasn’t much better.
brood about/over/on
▪ Don’t sit at home brooding about how badly you’ve been treated.
▪ Achilles sits in his tent, brooding over the wrongs done to him.
▷ be worried sick /biː ˌwʌrid ˈsɪkǁ-ˌwɜːr-/ [verb phrase]
to be very worried and upset about something :
▪ Where were you last night? I was worried sick.
be worried sick about
▪ She’s worried sick about the possibility of losing her job.
▪ I’m worried sick about Sandy. I haven’t heard from her for days.
worry yourself sick
▪ Jenny had worried herself sick trying to think of a way to pay back the money.
▷ frantic /ˈfræntɪk/ [adjective]
extremely worried and frightened about a situation and unable to think or behave calmly :
▪ Inspector Grimes was used to dealing with frantic parents.
get/grow/become frantic
▪ The knocking on the door and shouts became frantic.
▪ There is still no news of the missing child and her parents are getting frantic.
▪ The dog’s barking grew frantic as I approached.
frantic with worry/fear
▪ Her eyes were frantic with fear, and she couldn’t keep still.
frantically [adverb]
▪ She hung on frantically, terrified by the steep drop below.
▷ be at your wits’ end /biː ət jɔːʳ ˌwɪts ˈend/ [verb phrase]
to be very worried about a problem, especially something that has been happening for a long time that you feel you cannot deal with any longer :
▪ I don’t know what I can do to keep our marriage together -- I’m at my wits’ end!
▪ It was two days before the baby was due, and Robert was at his wits’ end.
▷ have qualms /hæv ˈkwɑːmz/ [verb phrase]
to be worried that something you are going to do might be morally wrong :
▪ Few so-called animal lovers have qualms when they purchase meat from supermarkets.
▪ Despite my qualms, I accepted the job.
have qualms about
▪ Shareholders seem to have few qualms about companies sponsoring overseas abortion programs.
4. to feel worried all the time
▷ have a lot on your mind /hæv ə ˌlɒt ɒn jɔːʳ ˈmaɪndǁ -ˌlɑːt-/ [verb phrase]
to have a lot of problems to worry about, especially when this means that you do not concentrate on other things :
▪ Since the divorce, Linda’s had a lot on her mind.
▪ I’m sorry I wasn’t paying attention, I have a lot on my mind at the moment.
▷ be under stress/be under (a) strain /biː ˌʌndəʳ ˈstres, biː ˌʌndər (ə) ˈstreɪn/ [verb phrase]
to have a lot of work to do or have a lot of problems to deal with, so that you feel worried and tired or get upset easily :
▪ Although I was under a strain, and drinking a lot at the time, I remember very clearly what happened.
▪ This investigation has placed her under additional stress.
be under a lot of stress/strain
▪ Mr Payne, have you been under a lot of stress recently?
▷ stressed out /ˌstrest ˈaʊt◂/ [adjective] informal
so worried and tired from problems you have to deal with continuously that you cannot relax :
▪ By the end of the tour, the band was totally stressed out.
▪ One of my adult students was a stressed-out working mother.
feel stressed out
▪ I’m trying to have a few early nights because I’m feeling stressed out at the moment.
▷ preoccupied /priːˈɒkjɑpaɪdǁ-ˈɑːk-/ [adjective]
worrying so much about a particular problem that you cannot think about anything else :
▪ I admit I’m preoccupied and snappy at the moment -- I’m sorry.
▪ Alison had entered the room, but he was too preoccupied to notice.
look/seem preoccupied
▪ She seemed preoccupied and kept glancing toward the window.
preoccupied look/expression etc
▪ Prajapat glanced up with a preoccupied smile, then went back to the map.
preoccupied with
▪ He was far too preoccupied with his own marital difficulties to give any thought to his friend’s problems.
▷ paranoid /ˈpærənɔɪd/ [adjective]
someone who is paranoid is worried all the time that people do not like them, that bad things are going to happen to them etc, when this is not true :
▪ I was so paranoid at one point, that I was refusing to answer the door.
feel paranoid
▪ The mysterious phone calls were beginning to make him feel paranoid.
paranoid about
▪ By 1982, he was so paranoid about his health that he wore plastic gloves at all times.
paranoia /ˌpærəˈnɔɪə/ [uncountable noun]
the feeling or medical condition of being paranoid :
▪ Just forget it -- it’s pure paranoia.
▪ the paranoia of the Nixon years
somebody’s paranoia
▪ His words only added to her fear and paranoia.
5. making you feel worried
▷ worrying also worrisome American /ˈwʌri-ɪŋǁˈwɜːri-, ˈwʌris ə mǁˈwɜːri-/ [adjective]
▪ The possibility that I might lose my job is very worrying.
▪ It must have been a worrying time for you.
it’s worrying that/when etc
▪ It’s always a little worrisome when a company is praised for making a smaller loss than expected.
▪ a worrying upsurge in violence
▷ stressful /ˈstresf ə l/ [adjective]
a stressful job or situation makes you feel worried and tired all the time, for example because you have too many problems or too much work to do :
▪ Looking after small children can be very stressful.
▪ What’s the most stressful aspect of your job?
▪ It was a stressful time for the whole family.
▷ anxious /ˈæŋkʃəs/ [adjective only before noun]
anxious time/wait/hours etc
a time during which you feel worried and nervous, because the situation is dangerous and you do not know what is going to happen :
▪ For one anxious moment, I thought the rope was going to break.
▪ After an anxious wait, Audrey was told her father had died.
▪ In the anxious days that followed, Henry tried to keep his mind off his results.
▷ alarming /əˈlɑːʳmɪŋ/ [adjective]
changing or increasing in a way that is worrying and frightening :
▪ Even more alarming is the increase in child porn sites on the Internet.
▪ an alarming rise in crime
it’s alarming that/when etc
▪ It’s alarming to think how many people are at risk.
alarming rate/number
▪ The epidemic is spreading at an alarming rate.
▪ There are no easy answers to the alarming number of mass killings taking place in our cities.
in alarming numbers
▪ The young girls she treats in alarming numbers are the victims of broken homes and parental neglect.
at an alarming rate
▪ Agricultural open space is disappearing at an alarming rate.
with alarming frequency/regularity
▪ Baggage seems to go missing with alarming frequency on these flights.
alarmingly [adverb]
▪ Infant mortality among the population is alarmingly high.
▷ tense /tens/ [adjective]
a situation or time that is tense makes you feel worried and nervous that something bad might happen at any time :
▪ The atmosphere in the waiting room was extremely tense.
▪ In the program, the hostages re-live the tense days they spent under guard in East Africa.
▪ In the tense silence that followed, the boys fidgeted uneasily.
tense face/expression etc
▪ Her tone was anxious now, her face tense.
▷ niggling /ˈnɪg ə lɪŋ/ [adjective only before noun]
niggling feeling/worry/doubt etc
something that continues to worry you, even though you do not really want to think about it :
▪ The suspect seemed to have proved his innocence, but a niggling doubt remained in my mind.
▪ I couldn’t shake off a niggling worry. Had I forgotten to lock the office door?
▷ alarmist /əˈlɑːʳmɪst, əˈlɑːʳməst/ [adjective]
making people worried about dangers that do not really exist :
▪ I do not wish to be alarmist, but the situation in the region is worse than it has been in many months.
▪ The ambassador dismissed these views as excessively alarmist.
▪ alarmist propaganda
6. something that makes you feel worried
▷ worry /ˈwʌriǁˈwɜːri/ [countable noun]
▪ It’s important that children can discuss their worries with their parents.
▪ His remarks reflect a widespread worry that Canada may be going the same way as the US.
worry about/over
▪ Worries about the tire company’s performance sent its shares tumbling.
▪ The launch was delayed because of worries over protestors.
greatest/biggest/main etc worry
▪ Roosevelt’s chief worry at the time was that an attack on Britain would put the US at a strategic disadvantage.
▷ concern /kənˈsɜːʳn/ [countable noun]
a situation that makes you feel worried, especially a problem that affects a lot of people, but that may not affect you personally :
▪ The hospital’s main concern is that doctors are overworked.
▪ The survey suggests that rising crime is the top of the average American’s concerns.
concern about/over
▪ My only concern about the match is that Price will be fit enough to take part.
▪ The committee brushed aside concerns about racism and prejudice in local government.
raise concerns
cause concerns
▪ The incident has raised concerns that the government may retaliate.
▷ stresses and strains /ˌstresɪz ən ˈstreɪnz, ˌstresəz ən ˈstreɪnz/ [noun phrase]
all the things in a job or situation that make you feel worried and tired, especially when your work or life is very difficult :
▪ Despite many stresses and strains, the team has held together, and I’m proud of that.
stresses and strains of
▪ the stresses and strains of modern living
▪ Do some gentle exercises to relieve the stresses and strains of your day.
▷ hang-up /ˈhæŋ ʌp/ [countable noun] informal
if you have a hang-up about something, for example your appearance, or your relationships with other people, you feel worried and embarrassed about it, and this makes you feel less confident :
▪ I want the children to understand sex and grow up without any hang-ups.
have a hang-up about
▪ Sarah has a hang-up about her nose -- she thinks it’s too big.
▪ They’re just ordinary people with all the usual hang-ups about love.
▷ cares /keəʳz/ [plural noun] written
problems or responsibilities in your life that make you worry :
▪ She was not really ready for the cares and responsibilities of running a family.
▪ ‘Forget all your cares and worries’, as the song goes.
7. the feeling of being worried
▷ worry /ˈwʌriǁˈwɜːri/ [uncountable noun]
▪ The meningitis outbreak is a major cause of worry at the moment.
▪ The rage and disappointment had disappeared, but the worry in Jim’s face was starting to show.
worry over/about
▪ This constant worry about your debts isn’t doing you any good at all.
be sick with worry
▪ The poor mother was sick with worry over her missing daughter.
▷ stress /stres/ [countable/uncountable noun]
the feeling of being worried all the time, for example about work or personal problems, which can make you ill or very tired :
▪ Her financial problems were causing her a lot of stress.
▪ methods for reducing stress
▪ Air travelers can enjoy stress-free trips if they follow a few guidelines.
stress of
▪ The city’s many parks offer a comforting relief from the stress of modern life.
mental/emotional/psychological stress
▪ Geoff is having trouble dealing with the emotional stress of his recent divorce.
stress-related illnesses/disorders/conditions etc
illnesses, conditions etc caused by stress
▪ His wife has also suffered stress-related health problems.
be under stress
be feeling stress
▪ She had been under a lot of stress just before the baby was born.
▪ Workers are under such stress right now, and they have less time to spend relaxing with their families.
▷ concern /kənˈsɜːʳn/ [uncountable noun]
a worried feeling - use this especially when many people are worried about a problem that affects everyone :
▪ The shortage of water is beginning to cause widespread concern.
concern about/over
▪ There is also some concern about the safety of the structure.
express/voice concern
▪ I did voice my concern about the financial management, but was told to stay quiet.
deep/grave concern
▪ This is a matter of grave concern to the hospital management.
▷ anxiety /æŋˈzaɪəti/ [uncountable noun]
the feeling of being worried because you think that something bad has happened or will happen, and you feel that you have no control over the situation :
▪ I knew I had to give a speech, but the thought filled me with anxiety.
▪ feelings of guilt and anxiety
▪ The increase in the tax on heating fuel is causing a lot of anxiety among elderly people.
anxiety about
▪ Her anxiety about the pain of childbirth is understandable.
▷ strain /streɪn/ [countable/uncountable noun]
a feeling of being worried that is caused by having to continuously deal with a difficult problem or having to work very hard for a long period of time :
▪ The strain of managing such a huge company became too much for Anita.
▪ He could see the strain in her face as she told him what she was going through.
be a strain on
▪ The legal fight has been an enormous strain on my wife.
put (a) strain on something
▪ The company wanted 110% commitment, and that put a strain on our marriage.
be under strain
▪ She had a busy week, and she’s under a lot of strain at the moment.
▷ angst /æŋst/ [uncountable noun]
a strong feeling of worry and anxiety, especially about things that you cannot change :
▪ Wallowing in angst about the unfairness of it all will just make the problem worse.
▪ a period of national angst
▪ a touching story of teenage angst
8. someone who worries a lot
▷ worrier /ˈwʌriəʳǁˈwɜː-/ [countable noun]
the type of person who worries a lot, even when they do not need to :
▪ He admitted to the doctor that he was a worrier and found it hard to relax.
▪ My grandmother was always a worrier, and I take after her.
▷ worrywart /ˈwʌriwɔːʳtǁˈwɜː-/ [countable noun] American informal
someone who worries too much :
▪ Don’t be such a worrywart!
▪ The cast also included Norman Fell as the worrywart producer.
▷ neurotic /njʊˈrɒtɪkǁnʊˈrɑː-/ [adjective]
always very worried and nervous about unimportant things or about dangers that do not really exist :
▪ He was a shy, neurotic man who found it difficult to make friends.
▪ In many respects, Mozart had a typically neurotic personality.
neurotic [countable noun]
▪ She is a complete neurotic - I don’t think I’ve ever seen her sit down and relax.
9. not worried
▷ not worried/concerned also unconcerned formal /nɒt ˈwʌrid, kənˈsɜːʳndǁ-ˈwɜːrid, ˌʌnkənˈsɜːʳnd/ [adjective]
▪ Sam had stayed out late before, so we weren’t particularly worried when he didn’t return.
▪ Brian didn’t seem at all concerned when the car broke down.
not worried/concerned about
▪ He insists that he is not worried about the poor showing his party made in the recent local elections.
▪ For once, Karen seemed unconcerned about the possibility of being late for class.
not in the least bit worried etc
not at all worried
▪ Even after losing her job, she doesn’t seem in the least bit worried.
▷ relieved /rɪˈliːvd/ [adjective not before noun]
feeling relaxed again because you do not need to worry about something that you worried about before :
▪ ‘Oh,’ she said, relieved. ‘I’m so glad you’re back.’
seem/feel/look/appear relieved
▪ The hostages simply look relieved to be going home.
relieved that
▪ I was relieved that John was there to help me explain.
▪ The government will be relieved that a crisis has been averted.
relieved at
▪ Sahlin appeared relieved at my news.
relieved to know/hear/find/learn etc something
▪ I’m so relieved to see you!
▪ Polly was relieved to learn that her mother’s illness was not a serious one.
▪ Andrew was relieved to discover that he was not himself under suspicion.
▷ be a weight off somebody’s mind /biː ə ˌweɪt ɒf somebodyˈs ˈmaɪnd/ [verb phrase] spoken
if something is a weight off your mind you do not have to worry any more because something has happened to make you feel happier about it :
be a great/big/enormous weight off somebody’s mind
▪ No doubt the news will be a huge weight off his mind.
take a weight off somebody’s mind
▪ Now that Peter has passed all his exams, it’s taken a great weight off my mind.
▷ relief /rɪˈliːf/ [singular/uncountable noun]
the pleasant feeling you have when you no longer have to worry about something :
▪ A white envelope lay on the mat. Holmes felt considerable relief.
a feeling/sense of relief
▪ Edwards commented that the convictions give him a feeling of relief that he hopes the victim shares.
with relief
▪ To her own surprise, she began sobbing with relief.
to somebody’s relief
making them feel relieved
▪ To Greg’s relief, nobody asked to check his ticket.
▪ The rains came this weekend, much to the relief of tomato growers in Florida.
breathe/heave a sigh of relief
show by your behaviour that you are no longer worried about something
▪ You could hear the students breathing a collective sigh of relief when the final bell rang.
it is a relief to know/hear/see/find etc
▪ It was such a relief to see Liz looking healthy again.
▪ Mary says it’s a relief to have someone to talk to at last.
come as a relief
▪ The decision, announced on Thursday, came as a huge relief to the factory’s 300 workers.
▷ not lose sleep over /nɒt ˌluːz ˈsliːp əʊvəʳ/ [verb phrase]
to not be worried by a problem because you do not think it is important enough :
▪ I tried my best, and I certainly won’t be losing any sleep over the result.
▪ It’s not that serious. I wouldn’t lose sleep over it if I were you.
▷ have no qualms /hæv ˌnəʊ ˈkwɑːmz/ [verb phrase]
if you have no qualms about something, you are not worried about it, especially because you are sure it is the right thing to do :
have no qualms about
▪ One protestor said he would have no qualms about bombing the clinic.
▪ He was a man who had no qualms about preaching one thing and practising another in his private life.
▷ carefree /ˈkeəʳfriː/ [adjective]
cheerful and not worried about anything, because you do not have any real problems or responsibilities in your life :
▪ I felt carefree for the first time in my life.
▪ They both laughed, feeling like two carefree schoolgirls.
▷ without a care in the world/not have a care in the world /wɪðaʊt ə ˌkeər ɪn ðə ˈwɜːʳld, nɒt hæv ə ˌkeər ɪn ðə wɜːʳld/ [adverb]
if someone is without a care in the world, they are not worried about anything at all and are happy :
▪ I was just sixteen, young, confident and without a care in the world.
▪ He puffed away on his pipe as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
▷ laugh off /ˌlɑːf ˈɒfǁˌlæf-/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to laugh and refuse to worry or be serious about a problem, when someone is trying to talk to you about it :
laugh off something
▪ Venables laughed off suggestions that he will be asked to retire.
▪ She took praise with delight, and laughed off any criticisms with good humour.
laugh it off
▪ She was genuinely angry, but Luke just tried to laugh it off.
10. to make someone feel less worried
▷ reassure /ˌriːəˈʃʊəʳ/ [transitive verb]
to make someone feel less worried, especially by saying something to comfort them :
▪ I tried to reassure her by saying that the police would arrive soon.
▪ ‘No one can ever take your spirit away from you,’ my mother reassured me.
reassure that
▪ The company has reassured its workers that there will be no job losses this year.
▪ She returned to her motel, reassured by the nurses that her husband would be quite all right.
reassuring [adjective]
▪ He stroked her hand and murmured reassuring words.
▪ There was something very reassuring about Jacob’s voice.
find something reassuring
▪ I saw a sign reading ‘Welcome Visitors’, which I found reassuring.
▷ set/put somebody’s mind at rest also set/put somebody’s mind at ease /ˌset, ˌpʊt somebodyˈs ˈmaɪnd ət ˌrest, ˌset, ˌpʊt somebodyˈs ˈmaɪnd ət ˌiːz/ [verb phrase]
to make someone feel less worried, especially by giving them information that shows they do not need to worry :
▪ The doctor set my mind at rest by explaining exactly what effect the drug would have on me.
▪ Just to put your mind at ease, we will get a second opinion from a cardiac specialist.
▷ put somebody out of their misery /ˌpʊt somebody aʊt əv ðeəʳ ˈmɪzəri/ [verb phrase] informal
to tell someone something that they have been waiting anxiously to find out :
▪ Come on Robyn, put me out of my misery. Who won?
▪ Eventually, we put him out of his misery and told him he’d passed.
11. what you say to tell someone not to worry
▷ don’t worry /ˌdəʊnt ˈwʌriǁ-ˈwɜːri/:
▪ ‘Don’t worry, there’s plenty of food for anyone who wants to come.’
don’t worry about
▪ ‘Don’t worry about me -- I’ll be fine,’ said Billie.
▪ Don’t worry about it. You can pay me back tomorrow.
▷ it’s/everything’s all right also it’s/everything’s ok /ɪts, ˌevriθɪŋz ɔːl ˈraɪt, ɪts, ˌevriθɪŋz əʊˈkeɪ/
use this to try to make someone feel better when they are worrying :
▪ It’s all right, honey, don’t cry.
▪ It’ll all be over soon, and everything’s going to be ok.
▷ nothing to worry about /ˌnʌθɪŋ tə ˈwʌri əbaʊtǁ-ˈwɜːri-/
use this to tell someone that there is no reason to worry :
there’s/it’s nothing to worry about
▪ It’s just a simple check-up. There’s nothing to worry about.
somebody has nothing to worry about
▪ You’re a bright girl, and you’ve got nothing to worry about, as long as you finish all your assignments.