teething trouble

English

Etymology

See teething troubles.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈtiːðɪŋ ˈtɹʌb(ə)l/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈtiðɪŋ ˈtɹʌb(ə)l/, /ˈtɹə-/

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: teeth‧ing trou‧ble

Noun

teething trouble (uncountable)

1. (idiomatic) Synonym of teething troubles
   • 1943 September, “Question of Power for the New Victory Fleet”, in Harlan Scott, editor, The Log, volume 38, number 10, San Francisco, Calif.: Miller Freeman, Inc., →OCLC, page 59, column 3:

     These particular ships are reported to have given considerable teething trouble and are partly responsible for the position lately taken by the Commission.

   • 1971, N. N. Mallya, edited by L. M. Singhvi, Public Enterprises in India: Their Control and Accountability, Delhi: National [Publishing House], →OCLC, page 2:

     These enterprises some of which are still under construction, or are still "gestating" or having "teething trouble", employ well over 5,53,600^[sic] persons.

   • 1975 February 18, S. M. Banerjee, “Indian Tariff (Amendment) Bill”, in Lok Sabha Debates (Thirteenth Session), volume XLVIII, number 1 (Fifth Series), New Delhi: Lok Sabha Secretariat, →OCLC, column 275:

     You will have to develop that industry. You cannot have teething trouble, all the time. What is this teething trouble, I am not able to understand. […] In the name of teething trouble, in the name of protection, they enjoy the concessions at the cost of the consumers and also at the cost of the workers.