v.tr. 1 break the rest, calm, or quiet of; interrupt. 2 agitate; worry (your story disturbs me). 3 move from a settled position, disarrange (the papers had been disturbed). 4 (as disturbed adj.) Psychol. emotionally or mentally unstable or abnormal. disturber n. disturbing adj. disturbingly adv.
[ ME f. OF desto(u)rber f. L disturbare (as DIS-, turbare f. turba tumult) ]