Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. bothered, concerned, e.g. I can’t be arsed to do it.

a.1968		P. McCartney in H. Davies Beatles (1968) 131: If they can’t be arsed awaiting [sic] for me, I can’t be arsed going after them.
1988		G. Patterson Burning your Own 88: Don’t forget who it was who organized the building of all this when you were too sulky to be arsed doing anything [OED].
1999		Guardian G2 1 Oct. 13: They will [...] supply the same service to any other else who can’t be arsed to set their video.
2000		P. Howard Miseducation of Ross O’Carroll-Kelly (2004) 95: I couldn’t be orsed telling Kenny.
2007		W. Self in Guardian Rev. 7 Apr. 3: My writing room is very much as anyone would have envisaged it – if they could’ve been arsed.
2013		K. Sampson Killing Pool 15: Gang of little divvies them, love. Couldn’t be arsed with them .
2016		A. Wheatle Crongton Knights 272: The sausages were a dose undercooked — I couldn’t be arsed to point it out.
2017		G. Gilmore Headland [ebook] Murdoch [...] thought about the chances of bullshitting her. Possible [...] if he could be arsed.
2017		A. Parks Bloody January 36: McCoy pushed the other shoe off with his foot, couldn’t be arsed with the laces.
2017		L. McInerney Blood Miracles : ‘He can barely be arsed preserving it’.
2023		A. Nette Orphan Road 161: ‘Leigh got rid of her child with Mundy because she couldn’t be arsed looking after it’.

2. fed up.

2001

K. Waterhouse Soho 131: I’m totally arsed with this liner talk.