I. də̇ˈstərb, -tə̄b, -təib verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: Middle English disturben, destourben, from Old French & Latin; Old French destorber, destourber, from Latin disturbare, from dis- dis- (I) + turbare to throw into disorder, disturb, make turbid — more at turbid
transitive verb
1.
a. obsolete : to turn or distract (a person) by disturbance
b. : to interfere with (as by hindering or causing to turn from a course or to stop)
disturb the sequence of events
disturb a man's reflections by shouting
a synthetic plant hormone which disturbs plant growth and eventually destroys it — Collier's Year Book
he failed to disturb the dominant current of thought — A.N.Whitehead
another factor was beginning to disturb the tenor of life in their curious household — T.B.Costain
specifically : to interfere with in the lawful enjoyment of a right
c.
(1) : to break into the preoccupations of or command the attention of especially annoyingly or disquietingly
she had disturbed an antique god in his sylvan haunt — G.B.Shaw
she sat outside his door, and none of us dared disturb her — George Meredith
(2) : to alter the position or arrangement of : move from place
he found that the papers on his desk had been disturbed
: cause to move, wave, bend, or otherwise change position
the wind disturbing the grass
the coal seams were later disturbed by the crushing of the valley — L.D.Stamp
no bone was broken and no joint was disturbed — Arthur Morrison
how is my relation to the environment disturbed — John Dewey
2.
a. : to destroy the rest, tranquillity, or settled state of : stir up : agitate , trouble
strikes and war talk disturbing the country
that fact poisons me, disturbs my serenity — John Reed
the most calculated, among contemporary writings, to disturb the reader, to startle and excite him — Wallace Fowlie
a few passages of verse … have still the power to disturb our hearts — Edward Sapir
the disturbed state of the country — Americana Annual
b. : to upset the mental or emotional composure of : deprive of mental or emotional peace : disquiet
his passion for his cause disturbed me — W.A.White
the times are too upset and disturbing — Louis Bromfield
c. : to throw into confusion or disorder
his incompetence disturbed the once smoothly running system
d. : to rouse especially from thought or sleep
disturb a scholar in his study
: alarm
afraid of disturbing the sleeping animal
e. : to put to inconvenience
do not disturb yourself to get supper for us
intransitive verb
: to cause disturbance
Synonyms: see discompose , disorder
II. noun
( -s )
obsolete : disturbance