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disturb

[dih-sturb]

Example Sentences Origin

verb (used with object)

to interrupt the quiet, rest, peace, or order of; unsettle.

to interfere with; interrupt; hinder: Please do not disturb me when I'm working.

to interfere with the arrangement, order, or harmony of; disarrange: to disturb the papers on her desk.

to perplex; trouble: to be disturbed by strange behavior.

verb (used without object)

to cause disturbance to someone's sleep, rest, etc.: Do not disturb.

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Disturb is one of our favorite verbs.

So is yaff. Does it mean:

to chew (food) slowly and thoroughly.

to bark; yelp.

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Origin:
1175–1225; Middle English disto(u)rben, disturben < Anglo-French disto(u)rber, desturber < Latin disturbāre to demolish, upset, equivalent to dis- dis-¹ + turbāre to confuse

Related forms

dis·turb·er, noun

pre·dis·turb, verb (used with object)

Synonyms
1. bother, annoy, trouble, pester.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To disturb

Example Sentences

None of the other five crewmen were stirring, so as not to disturb the experiment with any vibrations.

Officer responded and asked him to speak at a lower volume and not disturb people.

Critics say this might disturb the toxic sediment lying on the lake bottom, while ice scouring might rupture the pipe.

EXPAND

None of the other five crewmen were stirring, so as not to disturb the experiment with any vibrations.

Officer responded and asked him to speak at a lower volume and not disturb people.

Critics say this might disturb the toxic sediment lying on the lake bottom, while ice scouring might rupture the pipe.

The report blames the lower rate of regeneration on logging equipment and the dragging of logs, which disturb the soil.

If you try to measure it directly, you necessarily disturb it.

My fear is that it would disturb the bottom to such an extent that marine life would be affected.

When digging the annuals' planting holes, be careful not to disturb adjacent perennials' roots.

The descent engines were designed to disperse exhaust as widely as possible, to disturb the landing site as minimally as possible.

The way reference services are delivered there would intrigue some and disturb others.

The hope was that this would not disturb the thousands of wooden pillars on which the city rests.

The red is important because bright lights disturb the creatures in the deep sea where it's typically dark.

Noises that disturb one person need not disturb another, in their cortex or elsewhere.

These require smaller planting holes and so disturb shrubs' roots less.

No phones, no awkward interruptions disturb their peace.

Now plans for demolition have been shelved in favor of a renovation, which backers believe would disturb the site less.

Going through the woods without using a marked trail could damage the ecosystem of the area you are visiting and disturb wildlife.

Frank's view should disturb anyone who thinks psychotherapy has a scientific basis.

Any shift in noise or light is likely to disturb me.

Environmentalists warn that it could disturb the habitat of the endangered desert tortoises.

The streetlamp definitely would disturb other beings' life and do harm to them.

There was a soccer field right next to us, but he hadn't wanted to disturb the game.

But, it continues to disturb me when blatant lies are made.

Only dolphins and the occasional shark fin breaking the surface disturb the horizon and hint at something more.

They wouldn't disturb the wildlife any more than a large bird would.

There are no gas stations, no power lines, nothing to disturb the naked spread of terrain.

Some people let their toy breeds run around and disturb larger dogs.

Bleich did not want to disturb the patient unnecessarily by showing his surprise at this unusual symptom.

Tilt the pan in different directions and disturb the water in other ways to demonstrate how waves of different sizes are formed.

Chisholm, hold the key to understanding the biosphere--and what happens when humans disturb it.

It doesn't disturb me at all to see that the video exists.

Although publication of the paper would disturb a three-decade status quo, things may not change quickly.

Disturb or remove any key player, and the whole system can come unbalanced.

The examples here aren't bad, though, even if some of them disturb the exhibition's air of privileged relaxation.

When something disturb you than it is not a place to talk about.

New wells sometimes disturb layers of rock and dirt near fragile old wells, leading to new cases of contamination.

But creating hand-drawn sketches and taking photographs can take days and disturb the scene.

There are several parts of this that really disturb me.

So you tread lightly, trying hard not to disturb the fragile environment.

Exhibitions that stir controversy and disturb our sense of how history ought to be simply are not doing well.

Any redevelopment on this scale will disturb sentimentalists.

Creatures who haplessly stumble upon a wasp colony or have the audacity to disturb a nest will find themselves quickly swarmed.

If a project would disturb asbestos, a company certified by the city must be hired to remove the material before work can proceed.

Any acceleration will disturb and intesify theses charge.

Boal performed the ballet's introspective solo as if he did not wish to disturb a hush that had fallen around him.

They didn't disturb her, but told their father, who came to see her for himself the next day.

Many others are felled by hunters or die when spelunkers disturb their dwellings.

That's because grooming snow on ski slopes can disturb the snow-hibernating creatures or destroy their habitat.

The agency said signs telling beachgoers not to disturb the birds, will probably be enough to protect.

They were coming in trying to disturb our picket lines, and the more they disturbed our picket lines, the more they got beat up.

Providing some cash won't disturb the other rewards of learning, rewards that are intrinsic to the process itself.

COLLAPSE

Collins

World English Dictionary

disturb (dɪˈstɜːb)

—vb
1.	to intrude on; interrupt
2.	to destroy or interrupt the quietness or peace of
3.	to disarrange; muddle
4.	(often passive) to upset or agitate; trouble: I am disturbed at your bad news
5.	to inconvenience; put out: don't disturb yourself on my account

[C13: from Latin disturbāre, from dis-¹ + turbāre to confuse]

dis'turber

—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

disturb

early 13c., from L. disturbare "throw into disorder," from dis- "completely" + turbare "to disorder, disturb," from turba "turmoil." Disturbed "emotionally or mentally unstable" is from 1904. Related: Disturbing.

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