dis ‧ turb ‧ ance /dɪˈstɜːbəns $ -ɜːr-/ BrE AmE noun
[ Word Family: adjective : ↑ disturbed ≠ ↑ undisturbed , ↑ disturbing ; verb : ↑ disturb ; noun : ↑ disturbance ; adverb : ↑ disturbingly ]
1 . [uncountable and countable] formal a situation in which people behave violently in public:
There were disturbances in the crowd as fans left the stadium.
create/cause a disturbance
army training on controlling civil disturbance
2 . [uncountable and countable] something that interrupts what you are doing, or the act of making this happen:
We arrange the work so there’s as little disturbance as possible.
disturbance to
When a helicopter lands, it can cause a disturbance to local residents.
3 . [uncountable] a medical condition in which someone is mentally ill and does not behave normally:
a history of mental disturbance
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ cause/create a disturbance
Several people were arrested for creating a disturbance outside the embassy.
▪ quell a disturbance formal (=stop one)
Extra police were called to quell the disturbances.
▪ a disturbance breaks out (=starts)
A disturbance broke out between local youths and a group of sailors.
■ adjectives
▪ a violent disturbance
Over a hundred people were injured during violent disturbances in the capital.
▪ a serious disturbance
There were serious disturbances in a number of British cities.
▪ a civil disturbance (=fighting between different groups of people in a country)
Two men had already been killed in civil disturbances.
▪ a political disturbance (=about political ideas)
Political disturbances followed the announcement.
▪ a racial disturbance (=between people of different races)
Black people were still repressed and racial disturbances continued.