disturb

From Middle English destourben, from Anglo-Norman distourber and Old French destorber, from Latin disturbare, intensifying for turbare (“to throw into disorder”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)twerH-, *(s)turH- (“to rotate, swirl, twirl, move around”).

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /dɪˈstɜːb/
• (US) IPA^(key): /dɪˈstɝb/

  • Audio (US):

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• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)b

disturb (third-person singular simple present disturbs, present participle disturbing, simple past and past participle disturbed)

1. (transitive) to confuse a quiet, constant state or a calm, continuous flow, in particular: thoughts, actions or liquids.

   The noisy ventilation disturbed me during the exam.

   The performance was disturbed twice by a ringing mobile phone.

   A school of fish disturbed the water.

2. (transitive) to divert, redirect, or alter by disturbing.

   A mudslide disturbed the course of the river.

   The trauma disturbed his mind.

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

     disturb his inmost counsels from their destined aim

3. (intransitive) to have a negative emotional impact; to cause emotional distress or confusion.

disturb

1. (obsolete) disturbance
   • 1667, John Milton, “(please specify the page number)”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:

     Instant without disturb they took alarm