Definition

1. Verb:
   • To interrupt the quiet, rest, or peace of someone or something: To cause a break in someone's calm state, sleep, or concentration.
   • To cause emotional agitation or worry: To make someone feel anxious, troubled, or unsettled.
   • To move or change the position or arrangement of something: To handle or alter something, often causing it to become disordered.
   • To interfere with the normal function or state of something: To negatively affect a process, system, or condition.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Please do not disturb me while I am working.
  • The loud noise from the construction site disturbed the entire neighborhood.
  • The news report about the accident deeply disturbed her.
  • Someone had disturbed the papers on my desk; they were no longer in order.

Advanced Usage

• "To disturb the peace": To behave in a noisy or violent way in public, which is often illegal.
  • The rowdy partygoers were arrested for disturbing the peace.
• "Deeply/Rather/Greatly disturbed": Used to emphasize a strong feeling of being troubled or unsettled.
  • He was deeply disturbed by the images he saw in the documentary.

Variants and Related Words

• Disturbance (n): An interruption of a peaceful or settled state; a commotion.
  • The protest caused a major disturbance in the city center.
• Undisturbed (adj): Not interrupted or moved; calm and peaceful.
  • The ancient ruins lay undisturbed for centuries.
• Disturbing (adj): Causing anxiety or unease; unsettling.
  • The documentary presented some very disturbing facts.

Synonyms

• Bother: To annoy or cause mild trouble.
• Upset: To make someone unhappy, worried, or disordered.
• Disrupt: To interrupt an event, activity, or process by causing a problem.
• Agitate: To make someone feel troubled or nervous.

Related Phrasal Verbs

(Note: "Disturb" is not commonly used with particles to form standard phrasal verbs. Its meaning is typically conveyed alone or in set phrases.)

Related Idioms

• "To disturb the balance": To upset the equilibrium or stability of a situation.
  • Introducing a new predator could disturb the balance of the local ecosystem.
• "Do Not Disturb": A phrase often written on a sign hung on a door to request privacy and no interruptions.
  • She put the 'Do Not Disturb' sign on her hotel room door.

Verb

1. damage as if by shaking or jarring
   • Don't disturb the patient's wounds by moving him too rapidly!
2. destroy the peace or tranquility of
   • Don't interrupt me when I'm reading
3. tamper with
   • Don't touch my CDs!
4. change the arrangement or position of
5. move deeply
   • This book upset me
   • A troubling thought