Dis-tûrb',1, v. t.
v. t. [imp. & p. p. DISTURBED; p. pr. & vb. n. DISTURBING.] [Lat. disturbare, from prefix dis and turbare, to disturb, trouble, from turba, disorder, tumult, crowd, throng; It. disturbare, Sp. disturbar, Pr. destorbar, O. Fr. destourber, destourbier.] 1. To throw into confusion; to put into disorder; to derange. Preparing to disturb With all-confounding war the realms above. Cowper. 2. To interfere with; to interrupt; to terminate abruptly; as, care disturbs study. The utmost which the discontented colonies could do, was to disturb authority. Burke.
- To agitate the mind of; to disquiet; to render uneasy; as, a person is disturbed by receiving an insult, or his mind is disturbed by envy.
- To turn from a regular or designed course;—with from. [Obs.]
And disturb His inmost counsels from their destined aim. Milton. Syn.—To disorder; disquiet; agitate; discompose; molest; perplex; trouble; incommode; hinder; ruffle; stir; move.