• (British) IPA: /dɪsˈtɜːb/

disturb (disturbs, present participle disturbing; 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 1”, in Paradise Lost. A Poem Written in Ten Books, London: Printed [by Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […] [a]nd by Robert Boulter […] [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], OCLC 228722708 ↗; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: The Text Exactly Reproduced from the First Edition of 1667: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554 ↗:

     disturb his inmost counsels from their destined aim

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

   A disturbing film that tries to explore the mind of a serial killer.

   His behaviour is very disturbing.

• French: déranger, perturber, gêner
• German: stören
• Portuguese: perturbar
• Russian: меша́ть
• Spanish: perturbar, molestar

• French: perturber, déranger

disturb

1. (obsolete) disturbance